skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Attention:The NSF Public Access Repository (NSF-PAR) system and access will be unavailable from 7:00 AM ET to 7:30 AM ET on Friday, April 24 due to maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.


Title: Ethyl cellulose- block -poly(benzyl glutamate) block copolymer compatibilizers for ethyl cellulose/poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends
A block copolymer with the structure ethylcellulose-block-poly(benzy glutamate) was synthesizedviaring-opening polymerization and used as a compatibilizer to produce blends of ethylcellulose and poly(ethylene terephthalate).  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2244483 1933525
PAR ID:
10580241
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ;
Editor(s):
Luscombe, Christine; Anastasaki, Athina; Du_Prez, Filip; Frey, Holger; Hu, Rongrong; Klausen, Rebekka; Konkolewicz; Li, Zhibo; Li, Zi_Chen; Sardon, Haritz
Publisher / Repository:
Royal Society of Chemistry
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Polymer Chemistry
Volume:
15
Issue:
34
ISSN:
1759-9954
Page Range / eLocation ID:
3501 to 3509
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
compatibilization polysaccharide biopolymer polyester
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Abstract The effect of vortex‐induced mechanical stresses on the fluorescent properties of dye‐containing poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(lactic acid) (PEG‐b‐PLA) block copolymer micelles has been investigated. PEG‐b‐PLA block copolymer micelles containing fluorescent dyes, 3,3′‐dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO) and/or 1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI), are prepared by a simple one‐step procedure that involves the self‐assembly of block copolymers and spontaneous incorporation of hydrophobic dyes into the core of the micelles. Upon vortexing, the micelle dispersion samples showed a decrease in fluorescence intensity in a rotational speed‐ and time‐dependent manner. The results demonstrated that the vortexing can alter the fluorescent properties of the dye‐containing PEG‐b‐PLA block copolymer micelle dispersion samples, suggesting the potential utility of block copolymer micelles as a mechanical stress‐responsive nanomaterial. 
    more » « less
  2. ABSTRACT Recent interest in manipulating the chemistry of block copolymers (BCPs) to manage the covarying properties necessary to meet manufacturing criteria in nanolithography has resulted in the development and expansion of the A‐block‐(B‐random‐C) BCP architecture, where the random block allows for the decoupling of thermodynamic and wetting properties. Previous reports of such BCPs have used click chemistry to create the desired random block, but all such instances possess additional functional groups that are susceptible to undesirable side reactions upon annealing, such as cross‐linking and surface grafting. This study reports the substitution reaction of polystyrene‐block‐poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate) (PS‐b‐PPFMA) with primary amines. The resulting methacrylamide structure of the functionalized random block has only an amide linkage between the attached functional group and the polymer backbone, thereby omitting any sources of side reactions within the BCP. The outcomes of this report also demonstrate the enhanced thermal stability of these materials by virtue of their stable amide bonds. A range of random copolymer compositions is assessed to develop BCPs in which the random block has approximately the same surface energy as the PS block. These BCPs can self‐assemble into perpendicular lamellae and are therefore promising candidates for directed self‐assembly. 
    more » « less
  3. The first example of poly(vinyl ether)-block-poly(thiirane)-block-poly(acrylamide) from sequentially combining photocontrolled cationic, thioacyl anionic group transfer, and radical polymerization with no intermediate end-group manipulation steps. 
    more » « less
  4. Crown-ether functionalized poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (red) and cationic dibenzyl amine chain-end functionalized poly(styrene) (blue) were synthesized and assembled into optically active, pH responsive, and semi-crystalline bottlebrush copolymers. 
    more » « less
  5. Plastics offer innumerable societal benefits but simultaneously contribute to persistent environmental pollution, dominated by polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP). Melt blending and reformulating postconsumer PE andiPP into useful materials presents a promising recycling approach. However, such repurposed plastics are generally mechanically inferior due to an inability to efficiently separate polyolefins in mixed waste streams; phase separation of PE andiPP results in brittleness as a consequence of poor interfacial strength. Recently, we demonstrated that a small amount (1 wt%) of a poly(ethylene)-block-poly(ethyl ethylene-ran-ethylene)-block-poly(ethylene) (EXE) triblock copolymer, synthesized by low-cost anionic polymerization of 1,3-butadiene followed by solution hydrogenation, restores tensile toughness to levels equivalent to virgin polyolefins. Unfortunately, low-temperature solvent insolubility of EXE, driven by crystallization of the E blocks containing 1.5 ethyl branches per 100 backbone repeat units (EB), presents a challenge for industrial hydrogenation. Comparable toughness (ca. > 400% strain at break) was achieved in the present work with 1.5 ≤ EB ≤ 6.5, accompanied by reduced EXE crystallinity and dissolution in cyclohexane down to room temperature at the highest EB content. This remarkable toughening behavior is attributed to a synergy between chain entanglements between the E end blocks and semicrystalline PE homopolymer and formation of E block “crystal nodules” that prevent chain pullout, along with topological constraints between the X loops and semicrystallineiPP. Our findings overcome barriers to commercial production of EXE with existing industrial facilities, providing a cost-effective strategy for recycling PE andiPP. 
    more » « less