Search

Although styrene acrylate emulsions (SAE) have demonstrated promising applications as surface sizing agents for paper, their strengthening effect on pulp fibers in papermaking is not clear. In this study, bagasse fibers, an agricultural waste, were treated with SAE to study the influences on the mechanical properties of the produced papers. SAE copolymers with hard chain (H‐PSA) and soft chain (S‐PSA) were prepared and added to bagasse pulp slurry at concentrations of 1%–4% by weight. The findings indicated that for the soft and hard copolymers, the glass transition temperatures were 19.5 and 26.8°C and their emulsion particle sizes were 166 and 182 nm, respectively. The copolymers strengthened the produced paper by wrapping around and forming a network of chemical and physical bonds with the pulp fibers. Papers treated with 3% H‐PSA exhibited the optimum improvement in tensile strength (38 MPa) and breaking length (67 m) by 13% and 64%, respectively. Treated papers were negatively affected by UV radiation due to phenyl groups spread along the chains. The copolymers demonstrated good wet‐strength properties achieved by self‐ and co‐crosslinked networks. The prepared paper sheets showed a preference for the mechanical properties of treated samples over the untreated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid‐catalyzed hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds is the most important degradation mechanism affecting cellulose‐based materials. It results in the decrease of DP and in the loss of the original mechanical properties. The neutralization of acidity is therefore one of the most efficient ways to hamper the degradation of cellulosic artworks. However, in the case of acidic and strongly degraded artifacts, in addition to deacidification, a consolidation treatment must be performed. To this aim, a new class of biopolymers, obtained by a synthetic procedure that considers the principles of Sustainable Chemistry, was investigated. Three allyl saccharide/vinyl acetate copolymers, having different molar ratios between starting monomers, were prepared using α,α'‐trehalose, and used to synthesize the corresponding allyl saccharide/vinyl alcohol copolymers. The use of saccharide derivatives as monomers improves the affinity and compatibility of the biopolymer with the artifacts to be treated. After characterization, the efficacy of the copolymers in the strengthening of degraded paper was evaluated with mechanical tests. The most effective system was thus selected for further testing. Its performance was compared to that of Klucel G®, a commercial product belonging to the class of cellulose derivatives, which are largely used in conservation practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel nanocomposite leather‐finishing agent (denoted as H‐TiO2@SDS‐rGO/F‐PBMA) composed of fluorinated copolymer (denoted as F‐PBMA) matrix using methyl methacrylate (abbreviated as MMA), butyl acrylate (abbreviated as BA) as well as acrylic acid (abbreviated as AA) as monomers and H‐TiO2@SDS‐rGO composite nanoparticles as nano‐additives were successfully fabricated by aqueous emulsion polymerization in this paper. The hollow TiO2 nanoparticles (denoted as H‐TiO2) were firstly prepared with tetrabutyl titanate as titanium source wall and tetraethyl silicate as silicon source core through an alkali etching method, and then they were compounded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified by sodium dodecyl sulfate (denoted as SDS‐rGO) for obtaining H‐TiO2@SDS‐rGO composite nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectra, X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were used to characterize the structure and morphology of different samples. The experimental results reveal that the nanocomposite leather‐finishing agent not only has excellent transparency, but also endows sheepskin better weather resistance, thermal stability, hydrophobicity and mechanical properties compared with traditional leather finishing agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succinic acid is an important synthetic monomer but it is difficult to use it as a precursor for synthesizing high molecular weight polyamide, due to its tendency to perform intra‐cyclization reaction at high temperature. In order to solve this problem, in this paper, the direct solid‐state polymerization (DSSP) method with the initial reactant, nylon salt which was composed of 1, 5‐diaminopentane, succinic acid, and terephthalic acid, was applied to synthesize the bio‐based copolyamide PA 5T/54. In comparison with the conventional melting polymerization method, the DSSP method can prevent the cyclization reaction of succinic acid effectively due to the lower reacting temperature as well as the restriction effect of the nylon salt. As a result, the product fabricated by DSSP method has higher molecular weight and much lighter color from red to white. Therefore, the DSSP method is advantageous for the synthesis of the polymers or copolymers composed of the succinic acid as the monomer. Furthermore, the polymerization mechanism proposed in this work can serve as a guidance for the design of the molecular structure and control of the polymerization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper, a hydrophobic monomer (HM) that has a cationic double alkyl-substituted group bonded to the nitrogen atom was first synthesized. Then a hydrophobic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was prepared by a radical solution copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) with the HM followed by an alcoholysis reaction in alkaline conditions. The structures of HM and hydrophobically modified PVA (H-PVA) were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The effect of hydrophobic cationic segments on crystallization behaviors, mechanical properties, morphology, solution viscosity, and hydrophobic property were investigated. The results indicated that the crystallinity decreased from 37.2% of pure PVA to the minimum 23.2% of H-PVA with the incorporation of 1.15 mol % HM. The thermal decomposition temperature of H-PVA increased by about 50 °C compared with that of pure PVA. The viscosity of the H-PVA solution was several times higher than that of the corresponding unmodified PVA solution over the whole shear rate range, which demonstrated that the H-PVA had good shear-resistance ability. Furthermore, the contact angle was significantly increased from 55.1° to 115° with the incorporation of only 0.83% HM, which illustrated that the H-PVA had high hydrophobicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43888. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Recently, efforts have been devoted to find ways in utilizing biomass as feedstocks for the production of organic chemicals. This is because of its abundance, renewability and worldwide distribution. Lignocellulosic agricultural waste materials are regarded as abundant, inexpensive, and readily available natural resources for both chemical and paper industries. Hydrogels are polymeric materials that vary in their origin and composition and can absorb large amount of water without dissolving. In our study, cellulose-based acrylic acid hydrogel was synthesized starting from rice straw as a source for the lignocellulosic material, where cellulose was first isolated after alkaline-acid pulping treatment followed by bleaching step with sodium hypochlorite resulting of 90.8% holocellulose. The cellulose-based acrylic acid hydrogel was synthesized applying heterogeneous reaction and shows a swelling ratio more than 3000%. The resulting hydrogel was further characterized with FT-IR and SEM. On the other hand, comparison between the rice straw-based hydrogel and the commercially available acrylamide hydrogel was studied for improving maize production in salt affected soil as well as in the growth promoters of maize under water stress. The experimental results demonstrated that the yield parameters were increased with increasing irrigation rates. Both types of hydrogels introduce positive and significant effect compared to the one without adding hydrogels. Also, acrylamide hydrogel was effective for improving almost yield parameters more than applying rice straw-based hydrogel. Generally, the addition of hydrogel increases the nutrient concentration, uptake, and both of water and nutrients use efficiency. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42652. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore more efficient heavy metal copper ions adsorbents with double network polymers, this work has presented the novel fabrication processes of the polymer composite diatomaceous earth/polydopamine‐polyethyleneimine/alginate DE@PDA‐PEI@SA, which was characterized by FT‐IR, SEM, EDS, XPS, and was efficiently utilized for copper ions adsorption. The relevant adsorption behaviors of DE@PDA‐PEI@SA for copper ions such as the effect of pH, the effect of adsorbent dosage, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherm etc. have been investigated. The results reveal that the adsorption kinetics of DE@PDA‐PEI@SA for copper ions at different temperatures can be modeled by the pseudo second‐order rate equation, the experimental data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating a homogeneous monolayer adsorption, and the maximum adsorption capacity of DE@PDA‐PEI@SA for copper ions could reach 454.55 mg/g at 35°C that is very high compared to other reported adsorbent materials. The research results indicate that DE@PDA‐PEI@SA is a novel efficient adsorbent with high efficiency in wastewater treatment and water purification, which could provide a facile processing for copper adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Acrylamide (AM) and diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DADMAC) block copolymer P(AM- b-DADMAC) was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization method. The successful polymerization of controlled composition and polydispersity index of the block copolymer was confirmed by FTIR, 1H-NMR, and size exclusion chromatography analyses. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis further confirmed the interaction between the trithioester groups of RAFT agent and alkenyl groups of AM and DADMAC in the final product. With turbidity, chemical oxygen demand and focused beam reflectance measurement measurements, the block copolymer was proved to be effective at fixing dissolved and colloidal substances onto papermaking fibers, thus removing these substances from the water phase where they have a tendency to aggregate and form troublesome deposits. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4040-4046, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new environment‐friendly hydrophilic terpolymer of PAA‐AEO‐SAS was synthesized by free radical polymerization using acrylic acid (AA), aliphatic alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO) and sodium allyl sulfonate (SAS). The structure and molecular weight were characterized by FTIR, 1H‐NMR and GPC. The optimal monomer ratio, initiator level, reaction temperature and time for the synthesis of PAA‐AEO‐SAS were determined by the controlled variable method, and the inhibition performance on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale at different water bath temperature, pH, Ca2+ concentration and time were investigated by the static scale inhibition method. And the scales were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The results showed that the inhibitor had the best performance when the molar ratio of AA‐AEO/AA/SAS was 1:5:1, initiator was 4 mol%, the polymerization temperature was 85°C, and the reaction time was 2 h. Under the optimal synthesis conditions, the maximum inhibition efficiency was 90% (18 mg/L) and the Mw and Mn of PAA‐AEO‐SAS were 1546 and 1326, respectively. In addition, the surface morphology of calcium scale with the inhibitor was significantly changed from the characterization results. In short, the combination of multiple functional groups allowed the application of PAA‐AEO‐SAS in the complicated and challenging circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A semi‐interpenetrating polymer network superabsorbent polymer based on sodium lignosulfonate‐graft‐poly(acrylic acid‐acrylamide)/potassium dihydrogen phosphate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/SL‐g‐P[AA‐AM]/KDP) was synthesized by using solution polymerization. The PVA/SL‐g‐P(AA‐AM)/KDP was further hydrolyzed in NaOH solution. The structure, thermal stability, and morphologies of samples were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of FTIR, TGA, and DSC showed that PVA interpenetration through SL‐g‐P(AA‐AM)/KDP network has occurred, and PVA/SL‐g‐P(AA‐AM)/KDP was successfully alkaline hydrolyzed. From the SEM images, the high porous and loose surface structure of polymers was formed after hydrolysis, which greatly increased the specific surface area. Samples after hydrolysis exhibited higher equilibrium swelling capacity (1963 g/g) compared to the nonhydrolyzed samples (866 g/g). The swelling kinetics of all samples well complied with the pseudo‐second order swelling kinetics model. Simple hydrolysis treatment not only improved the swelling capacity of PVA/SL‐g‐P(AA‐AM)/KDP but also induced an enhancement on its water retention performance, which made it potentially useful as a water retention agent in the revegetation of abandoned mines or slope wasteland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur‐rich polymers are promising materials to cover several applications including mercury capture adsorbents. Tung oil, a natural conjugated triene triglyceride oil, were selected to prepare sulfur‐rich copolymers. The unique second monomer made reaching the gel point possible at a mild temperature of 130°C in 2.5 h. The reaction accomplishment was confirmed by the depletion of double bonds in tung‐oil‐sulfur copolymers measured by 1H NMR, FTIR, XRD, and DSC. A bi‐function catalyst calcium hydroxide accelerates the reactions between triglyceride and sulfur before it is removed to increase the surface area and achieve the aims of preparing adsorbents, which has zero free sulfur, high crosslinking degree, and efficient mercury capture. Newly developed tung‐oil‐sulfur copolymers catalyzed by calcium hydroxide offer the possibility to synthesize sulfur‐rich copolymers that combine the advantages of the high performance and the utility of greener and more environmental friendly raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sesbania gum‐g‐poly (acrylic acid‐co‐vinyl acetate) (SG‐g‐P (AA‐co‐VAc)) emulsion was prepared by free radical polymerization using environmental‐friendly sesbania gum (SG) as raw material and grafted with acrylic acid and vinyl acetate. It was applied to study the performance of preventing water leakage from the soil. The effects of acrylic acid/vinyl acetate (AA/VAc) monomer ratio, neutralization degree of AA, content of ammonium persulfate and polymerization temperature on the properties of emulsion were investigated. Characterization of the emulsion by FTIR, SEM, TGA, and particle size distribution showed that AA and VAc were successfully grafted onto SG. SG‐g‐P (AA‐co‐VAc) had good stability under the optimum synthesis condition. Compared to SG, the thermal stability of the product was improved. The consolidation layer was formed after the product was added to the soil, which might reduce the voids between soil particles and reduce the water penetration rate. This greatly expanded its application in the research of anti‐leakage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenyl‐centered tri‐chain poly(ether‐carbonate) (TMA‐PEC), phenyl‐centered double‐chain poly(ether‐carbonate) (TPA‐PEC), and phenyl‐centered four‐chain poly(ether‐carbonate) (TFA‐PEC) were synthesized to act as CO2 thickener. Their solubility in CO2 was measured by cloud point pressure. In order to explore the material characteristics that affect the solubility, dynamic simulations were used to analyze intermolecular polymer interactions, and the interaction between polymers and CO2. It was found that TPA‐PEC and TMA‐PEC has better solubility than TFA‐PEC in CO2 among the three polymers while the thickening effect is poor, TFA‐PEC possess the best viscosity thickening effect while the solubility in CO2 is unfavorable. The silicone unit 1,1,1,3,5,5,5‐heptamethyl‐3‐(3‐[oxiran‐2‐ylmethoxy] propyl)trisiloxane modified TFA‐PEC (TFA‐PEC‐SAGE) combine good solubility and good thickening ability together. The molecular simulations show that TPA‐PEC and TMA‐PEC have weaker intermolecular interactions and TPA‐PEC and TMA‐PEC have stronger interaction with CO2 which are beneficial to the solubility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, novel semiinterpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) superabsorbent resins with slow‐release fertilizer (CSC‐g‐AA/APP, CSC‐g‐AA/PVA‐APP), based on corn straw cellulose polymer and linear polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), were prepared by solution polymerization. The nitric acid‐aqueous solution method was adopted to extract cellulose from corn straw. Ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was introduced to supply nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. The prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Moreover, the water absorbency and the slow‐release performance of CSC‐g‐AA/APP and CSC‐g‐AA/PVA‐APP were studied. The results indicated that the two superabsorbent resins exhibited excellent water absorbency of 262.8 and 303.2 g/g in distilled water, enhanced the water‐holding capacity of soil, and also released nutrients slowly. The cumulative N and P release rates of CSC‐g‐AA/PVA‐APP were 64.47 and 53.53% after 25 days in soil, which were lower than those of CSC‐g‐AA/APP. The addition of these products into soil significantly reduced the leaching losses of nutrients. Therefore, it can be concluded that the superabsorbent resins with water‐retaining and slow‐release properties, low production costs, and environment‐friendly characteristics, have great potential for applications in agricultural production. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48951. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comb copolymer (CC) is designed and prepared in present article, by grafting epoxy resin (E‐20) on poly(styrene‐co‐acrylate). The CC is used as a special dispersant, which leads to a stabilizable reduced graphene oxide (rGO) suspension in organic coatings. The dispersing mechanism is deduced as π‐π attraction between CC and rGO, which is supported by the analysis data of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The corrosion resistance of CG suspension is determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the results implies that the anti‐corrosion behavior performed obviously, and protective efficiency is up to 99.53% in Tafel analysis. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48898. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Novel tetra‐armed star‐shaped styrenic copolymers with pyrene side groups [(S1‐S3)‐Pyr] were prepared and employed as fluorescence sensing probe for fast and sensitive determination of nitroaromatic compounds. (S1‐S3)‐Pyr depicted characteristic pyrene monomer emission signals as well as broad excimer bands in their fluorescence emission spectra due to close proximity of the pyrene groups on the polymer chains and the ratio of monomer to excimer emission intensities gradually decreased as the pyrene content of the star polymers were increased from S1‐Pyr to S3‐Pyr. The highest quenching efficiency in the presence of 25 equivalent nitroaromatics was observed for 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol/picric acid (99.4%) followed by 2,4‐dinitrophenol (84.2%), 4‐nitrophenol (82.6%), 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (44.0%), 2,4‐dinitrotolunene (32.6%), and 4‐nitrotoluene (28.8%). Superior quenching efficiencies of nitrophenolic compounds were ascribed to their strong binding affinity for (S1‐S3)‐Pyr due to the acidity of phenolic hydroxyl units. Besides, quenching ratios of S1‐Pyr, S2‐Pyr, and S3‐Pyr were measured to be very close to each other. Thus, (S1‐S3)‐Pyr are considered to be highly selective and sensitive fluorescence probes for phenolic nitroaromatic compounds. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46310. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT For the first time, the main characteristics of the polymeric materials are considered for understanding their possible application in ecological sand-fixing. In this investigation, two emulsions, named as E2, a poly(vinyl acetate) emulsion, and E7, a vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer emulsion, have been selected for a series of tests related to the practical requirements for ecological sand-fixing. Besides the sand-fixing properties and the thermal aging and freeze-thaw stabilities of the emulsions, their effects in increasing the growth of both microbes and plants in sandy lands have been evaluated by field experiments in Kerqin Sandy Land of China, and the relationship between the performance and structure of the two emulsions has also been described. The experimental results show that both emulsions could significantly improve the compressive strength of treated sand and could withstand the changes in temperature of the Kerqin Sandy Land. However, different effects were exhibited in promoting the growth of microbes, in facilitating the accumulation of organic fertilizer and soluble salt, and in increasing the crop yield. All of the differences are attributed to their different molecular chain structures. These findings suggest that the structure of a polymeric emulsion should be the first consideration for the materials used in ecological sand-fixing, and ecological sand-fixing is a successful method for the stabilization of sandy land and the restoration of desertified land in semiarid regions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44102 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aiming at good thickening ability and temperature resistance in water-based drilling fluid, a novel copolymer viscosifier (SDKP) of sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate (NaAMPS) with N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) and cross-linking divinylbenzene (DVB) was prepared by micellar radical polymerization. The composition and molecular structure of optimal SDKP under the optimum reaction conditions was characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and elemental analysis, and the molecular weight was determined by GPC. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the SDKP was even stable when the temperature was not higher than 330 °C. The performance of SDKP as viscosifier for aqueous, brines, and saturated brine bentonite drilling fluid was evaluated before and after aging tests at 230 °C for 16 h. The evaluation results indicated that the SDKP had excellent thickening ability, thermal resistant, and salt tolerance. HTHP rheology test showed that the SDKP containing drilling fluids displayed a thermo-thickening effect in temperature range of 150 to 180 °C, which was beneficial to increase the viscosity and strength of fluids at high temperatures. Shear test showed that the SDKP illustrated a similar shear thinning to xanthan gum. ESEM observations demonstrated that the continuous three-dimensional network was formed in the SDKP aqueous and brines solution, which was probably the main reason for its excellent thickening properties. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44140. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The monomer 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-(5-methylhydantoinyl)propane (HA) was copolymerized with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (SL) and covalently attached onto silica gel and sand particles. As a result HASL copolymer-grafted silica gel and sand particles (HASL SGPs and SPs) were obtained. These two types of HASL SGPs and SPs provided excellent biocidal efficacy against Gram positive S. aureus and Gram negative E. coli O157:H7 bacteria when the copolymer-grafted particles were exposed to dilute sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) solution. In a flowing water application, seven logs of bacteria were inactivated within 10 s of contact time with the particles packed into a column. The treated particles also exhibited good washing and storage stabilities. The chlorine loss during extensive flow could be recovered by further exposure to dilute bleach solution. The antimicrobial particles have potential application for use in inexpensive disinfecting water filters for slow water flows. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43413. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the synthesis of a new class of copolymer materials consisting of traditional vinyl monomers (essentially, vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate) and copper (II) methacrylate (Cu(II)MA) intended to be used as surface modification agents in electrochemical quantifications of organic and inorganic analytes. Voltammetry assays showed that when deposited on glassy-carbon electrode (GCE), Cu(II)MA-based copolymers are very promising materials to be applied in electrochemical determinations, exhibiting high analytical signal in the oxidation and reduction peaks during quantification of potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) in comparison to a bare GCE, contributing to increase the effective electrode area. When employed for the determination of ascorbic acid, PVAcCu(II)MA/GCE exhibited performance similar to that of the bare GCE. Polymers characterizations showed that glass transition temperature of the Cu(II)MA-based materials increased in approximately 10-20°C, as consequence of the copper present in molecular structure of the copolymer chains (bidentate bridging coordination mode). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements of Cu(II)MA monomer and Cu(II)MA-based copolymers showed strong characteristic peaks K&#945 and Kβ at 8.04 and 8.90 keV, respectively, with an average amount of copper of 99%. The performance of the Cu(II)MA-based copolymers modified electrodes is strongly dependent on the amount of copper into the copolymer chains and consequently on the monomers conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Starch is sensitive to moisture and is weak to durability in the protection application to ancient relics. Therefore, two fluorosilicone-modified starches are firstly prepared and evaluated for the protection of historic stones. The fluoro-silicone copolymer grafted starch of P(VTMS/12FMA) -g-starch is synthesized by grafting copolymer of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) and dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (12FMA) onto starch. While the fluoro-silicone starch latex of VTMS-starch@P(MMA/BA/3FMA) is obtained by emulsion polymerization of VTMS primarily grafted-starch (VTMS-starch) with methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (3FMA). The grafting fluorosilicone copolymer onto starch improves obviously their hydrophobic and thermal properties. Comparatively, VTMS-starch@P(MMA/BA/3FMA) film performs higher water contact angle (107°) and thermal stability (350-430°C) than p(VTMS/12FMA) -g-starch film (72°, 250-420°C) due to the migration of fluorine-containing group onto the surface of film during the film formation. Therefore, VTMS-starch@P(MMA/BA/3FMA) shows much better protective performance in water-resistance, and salt/freeze-thaw resistance for stone samples. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41650. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Reported are syntheses of several new monomer precursors of cathodically coloring conducting polymers (CPs), based on a propylene dioxythiophene skeleton. These are shown to yield CPs-both as homopolymers and as copolymers-that are nearly 'perfectly' matched electrochemically and electrochromically with a set of anodically coloring poly(aromatic amines), for use in dual-polymer electrochromic lenses. Resulting dual-polymer electrochromic lenses display very high light/dark contrast (typically up to 70/7% or 50/0.5% Transmission (integrated over visible spectrum, vs. air reference), Haze < 2%, very high cyclability (> 10 K cycles), multiyear shelf life, appealing transparent to dark-blue-black transition, and excellent optical memory. Dramatic lowering of switching time, from 8 to < 1 s, is demonstrated using unique applied-potential algorithm resident on inexpensive Microcontroller chip. Working, practical dual-polymer electrochromic spectacles are demonstrated with electrochromic lenses retrofitted to spectacles meeting ANSI Z87.1, GL-PD 10-12 (U.S. military) specifications. These incorporate photosensor, rechargeable Li battery, Microcontroller, allow for automated operation. Ab-initio-design spectacles, also conforming to above specifications, are also demonstrated, with components seamlessly hidden within frame. To the best of our knowledge, the electrochromic lenses and sunglasses reported herein represent the best visible-region electrochromic performance for dual-polymer CP electrochromic systems to date and the first practical implementation in working sunglasses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41043. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this article, the feasibility of preparing chlorinated ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (CEVA) in gas-solid phase is investigated. Furthermore, the structure of the chlorination product and its performance as a coating material are also analyzed. Both the molecular structure and crystallinity of the product are well studied with various characterization methods, including 1H-NMR, Fourier transform infrared, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimeter, and so forth. The results show that the chlorination of EVA in gas-solid phase is feasible and the chlorine content of CEVA can be made over 60%. It is also found that when the chlorine content is low, chlorination can easily occur in ethylene section but rarely happens in vinyl acetate section. Nevertheless, when the chlorine content of CEVA rises over 35%, CH in the vinyl acetate section is also found chlorinated. The removal of hydrogen chloride is induced during chlorination, producing double bonds in the main chain. Besides, the trace of CCl2 structure can also be found in the chain of CEVA. After chlorination, the crystallization will change and is negatively correlated with chlorine content. As the film forming material for coating, CEVA has its best performance with 50% chlorine content. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41093. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved pharmaceuticals were removed by adsorption on some natural and synthetic polymers. Cellulose, chitosan, and sodium alginate were selected as examples of natural polymers while a synthetic copolymer of epichlorohydrin and urea was prepared for comparison. Water contaminated with some antibiotics was treated with these polymers using stirred flask and column methods. The particles size of the investigated materials was increased up to 2 mm diameter by converting them into beads. Combinations of polymers, natural or synthetic, were used together to improve their behavior. The synthetic polymer has shown better removal effect than that of natural ones. It has removed up to 75% of the drug in 6 h. Chitosan was the best natural polymers in removing dissolved drugs; up to 13% of the drug has been removed by it. The recycling properties of the polymers loaded with drugs were examined and up to 9% of the drug was successfully restored. In addition, fully loaded dry beads with drugs were grounded and recycled in an ointment as blends. Moreover, the swelling behavior of the beads in different mediums and under different conditions was examined. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40458. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A class of maleic anhydride copolymers (YMR-A series) with a narrow molecular weight distribution between 500-1500 and a polydispersity of 1.0-1.11 was obtained from n-alkylacrylamide and maleic anhydride monomers via atom transfer radical polymerization. The monomer conversion reached about 71% corresponding to 1:4 [FeCl2] to [SA] molar ratios for (AAH/MA) copolymer initiated by CPN whereas for the polymerization initiated by MCPN the conversion reached 51.9% under similar condition showing better performance of CPN initiator. Resultant polymers were characterized by means of 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. The inhibition behavior of these YMR-A polymers against CaCO3 and CaSO4 was evaluated using static scale inhibition method. The inhibition efficiency on the calcium carbonate scale is much higher and even with 5 ppm dosage level the efficiency is around 99.33 % at pH 10.45 and temperature 70°C, where as for calcium sulfate scales the inhibition efficiency, is lower and 99.9% inhibition is observed at 7-9 ppm level. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39827. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Bisphenol A-based epoxy acrylate (BABEA), a commercial ultraviolet (UV)-curable material, was introduced as a new manufacturing material for facile fabrication of epoxy-functionalized micro-zone plates through UV-initiated copolymerization using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as the functional monomer. The poly (BABEA- co-GMA) was highly transparent in visible range while highly opaque when the wavelength is less than 295 nm, and of high replication fidelity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) results indicated the existence of epoxy groups on the surface of the poly (BABEA- co-GMA), which allowed for binding protein through an epoxy-amino group reaction. A fabrication procedure was proposed for manufacturing BABEA based epoxy-functionalized micro-zone plates. The fabrication procedure was very simple; obviating the need of micromachining equipments, wet etching or imprinting techniques. To evaluate the BABEA-based epoxy-functionalized micro-zone plates, α-fetoprotein (AFP) was immobilized onto the capture zone for chemiluminescent (CL) detection in a noncompetitive immune response format. The proposed AFP immunoaffinity micro-zone plate was demonstrated as a low cost, flexible, homogeneous, and stable assay for α-fetoprotein (AFP). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39787. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Cassava starch- graft-polymethacrylamide (PMAM) copolymers were synthesized by a free-radical-initiated polymerization reaction, and the products were tested for their efficiency as flocculants and textile sizing agents. The highest percentages of grafting and monomer conversion were 79.9 and 78.0%, respectively. The grafted starches were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The average molecular weight of PMAM chains in the grafted starches ranged from 15.9 to 30.8 × 105 g/mol. The grafted starches exhibited a higher peak viscosity and paste stability in comparison to the native starch (NS). Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that grafting provided fairly shear-stable hydrogels, and the highest storage modulus obtained was 17,900 Pa compared to 1879 Pa for NS. The flocculation studies demonstrated the superiority of starch- g-PMAM over cassava starch and PMAM as an efficient flocculant. The tensile strength of cotton yarns sized with the starch-grafted copolymer was significantly higher (104 MPa) compared to that sized with NS (34 MPa). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39810. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of microencapsulated phase‐change materials (micro‐PCMs) with binary cores and acrylate‐based copolymer shells were prepared. The micro‐PCMs contained octadecane and butyl stearate as binary‐core materials. Allyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,4‐butanediol diacrylate (BDDA), and 1,6‐hexanediol dimethacrylate were respectively introduced to copolymerize with divinylbenzene (DVB) to form different microcapsule shells. In this work, the influence of the types of core and shell materials and core–shell weight ratios on the thermal properties of micro‐PCMs was studied. The chemical structures, morphologies, thermal properties, and thermal insulation properties of the wallboards were all tested and discussed. Scanning electron microscope photographs show that these micro‐PCMs have relatively spherical profiles and compact surfaces with diameters ranging from 10 to 80 μm. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that their microencapsulation efficiency ranged from 48 wt % to 80 wt %. A thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that these micro‐PCMs can ensure their thermal stability below 210°C. Finally, a thermal insulation wallboard fabricated with synthesized P(BDDA‐co‐DVB) micro‐PCMs showed excellent thermal energy storage performance, keeping the temperature fluctuation within 2.5°C. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47777. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]