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Related Concept Videos

Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching01:17

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching

The skeletal structure of polymers synthesized via radical polymerization is always branched. For example, the polymerization of ethylene by radical polymerization results in a low-density grade of polyethylene with a heavily branched skeletal structure. Here, the radical site abstracts hydrogen from the growing chain, and the radical site shifts from the end (a primary carbon center) to anywhere within the growing chain (a secondary carbon center). Consequently, the part of the chain from the...
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.

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Related Experiment Video

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Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning
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Functional polymer laminates from hyperthermal hydrogen induced cross-linking.

David B Thompson1, Tomas Trebicky, Patrick Crewdson

  • 1Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario , 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|November 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A novel hyperthermal hydrogen process enables mild polymer cross-linking for creating functional laminates. This technique preserves ester groups, allowing for versatile surface modifications like hydrophilicity changes and further chemical transformations.

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Published on: January 19, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science and Engineering
  • Surface Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Conventional plasma techniques for polymer surface modification can be harsh and may damage sensitive functional groups.
  • Developing milder, more controlled methods for polymer cross-linking and surface functionalization is crucial for advanced materials.
  • Polypropylene, poly(isobutylene-co-isoprene), and poly(vinyl acetate) are common polymers with diverse applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and characterize a hyperthermal hydrogen-induced cross-linking process as a milder alternative to plasma treatments.
  • To demonstrate the ability to create multilayered polymer laminates with tailored properties.
  • To investigate the process's compatibility with ester functionalities and its potential for surface chemical transformations.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing neutral molecular hydrogen projectiles at hyperthermal energies to induce cross-linking.
  • Employing collision-induced dissociation of C-H bonds to generate carbon radicals on polymer surfaces.
  • Sequential grafting, hydrolysis, and esterification of ester functionalities on the cross-linked polymer surface.

Main Results:

  • Successful cross-linking of polypropylene surfaces using hyperthermal hydrogen, creating a foundation for laminate formation.
  • Demonstrated the ability to build multiple layers of cross-linked polymers, each potentially adding new properties.
  • Showcased that ester functionalities remain largely intact during the cross-linking process, enabling subsequent chemical modifications.
  • Achieved nonleachable ester grafting, followed by hydrolysis to convert the surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, and subsequent recovery via esterification.

Conclusions:

  • Hyperthermal hydrogen-induced cross-linking is an effective and mild method for preparing polymer laminates.
  • The process allows for controlled surface functionalization, including hydrophilicity changes, while preserving delicate ester groups.
  • This technique offers a versatile platform for creating advanced polymer materials with tunable properties and functionalities.