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Hosono N, Uemura T. Development of Functional Materials via Polymer Encapsulation into Metal–Organic Frameworks. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20210191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhiko Hosono
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Advanced Materials Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
| | - Takashi Uemura
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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Tonelli AE. Nanoscale Restructuring of Polymer Materials to Produce Single Polymer Composites and Miscible Blends. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9060240. [PMID: 31248211 PMCID: PMC6627639 DOI: 10.3390/biom9060240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
I summarize work conducted in our laboratories over the past 30 years using small host molecules to restructure polymer materials at the nanometer level. Certain small molecules, such as the cyclic starches cyclodextrins (CDs) and urea (U) can form non-covalent crystalline inclusion compounds (ICs) with a range of guest molecules, including many polymers. In polymer-CD- and -U-ICs, guest polymer chains reside in narrow channels created by the host molecule crystals, where they are separated and highly extended. When the host crystalline lattice is carefully removed, the guest polymer chains coalesce into a bulk sample with an organization that is distinct from that normally produced from its melt or from solution. Amorphous regions of such coalesced polymer samples have a greater density, likely with less chain entanglement and more chain alignment. As a consequence, after cooling from their melts, coalesced amorphous polymers show glass-transition temperatures (Tgs) that are elevated above those of samples prepared from their solutions or melts. Upon cooling from their melts, coalesced samples of crystallizable polymers show dramatically-increased abilities to crystallize more rapidly and much closer to their melting temperatures (Tms). These unique behaviors of polymers coalesced from their CD- and U-ICs are unexpectedly resistant to extended annealing above their Tgs and Tms. Taking advantage of this behavior permits us to create polymer materials with unique and improved properties. Among these are amorphous polymers with elevated Tgs and semi-crystalline polymers with finer more uniform morphologies. Improved mechanical properties can be achieved through self-nucleation with small amounts of the same polymer made rapidly crystallizable through coalescence from its CD- or U-IC. This can lead to single polymer composites with as-received polymer matrices and self-nucleated reinforcements. Through simultaneous formation and subsequent coalescence from their common CD–ICs, stable well-mixed blends can be achieved between any two or more polymers, despite their inherent immiscibilities. Such coalesced and well-mixed blends are also resistant to phase segregation when heated for extensive periods well above their Tgs and Tms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan E Tonelli
- Fiber & Polymer Chemistry Program, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
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Gurarslan A, Joijode A, Shen J, Narayanan G, Antony GJ, Li S, Caydamli Y, Tonelli AE. Reorganizing Polymer Chains with Cyclodextrins. Polymers (Basel) 2017; 9:E673. [PMID: 30965971 PMCID: PMC6418566 DOI: 10.3390/polym9120673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past several years, we have been utilizing cyclodextrins (CDs) to nanostructure polymers into bulk samples whose chain organizations, properties, and behaviors are quite distinct from neat bulk samples obtained from their solutions and melts. We first form non-covalently bonded inclusion complexes (ICs) between CD hosts and guest polymers, where the guest chains are highly extended and separately occupy the narrow channels (~0.5⁻1.0 nm in diameter) formed by the columnar arrangement of CDs in the IC crystals. Careful removal of the host crystalline CD lattice from the polymer-CD-IC crystals leads to coalescence of the guest polymer chains into bulk samples, which we have repeatedly observed to behave distinctly from those produced from their solutions or melts. While amorphous polymers coalesced from their CD-ICs evidence significantly higher glass-transition temperatures, Tgs, polymers that crystallize generally show higher melting and crystallization temperatures (Tms, Tcs), and some-times different crystalline polymorphs, when they are coalesced from their CD-ICs. Formation of CD-ICs containing two or more guest homopolymers or with block copolymers can result in coalesced samples which exhibit intimate mixing between their common homopolymer chains or between the blocks of the copolymer. On a more practically relevant level, the distinct organizations and behaviors observed for polymer samples coalesced from their CD-ICs are found to be stable to extended annealing at temperatures above their Tgs and Tms. We believe this is a consequence of the structural organization of the crystalline polymer-CD-ICs, where the guest polymer chains included in host-IC crystals are separated and confined to occupy the narrow channels formed by the host CDs during IC crystallization. Substantial degrees of the extended and un-entangled natures of the IC-included chains are apparently retained upon coalescence, and are resistant to high temperature annealing. Following the careful removal of the host CD lattice from each randomly oriented IC crystal, the guest polymer chains now occupying a much-reduced volume may be somewhat "nematically" oriented, resulting in a collection of randomly oriented "nematic" regions of largely extended and un-entangled coalesced guest chains. The suggested randomly oriented nematic domain organization of guest polymers might explain why even at high temperatures their transformation to randomly-coiling, interpenetrated, and entangled melts might be difficult. In addition, the behaviors and uses of polymers coalesced from their CD-ICs are briefly described and summarized here, and we attempted to draw conclusions from and relationships between their behaviors and the unique chain organizations and conformations achieved upon coalescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alper Gurarslan
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Abhay Joijode
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Jialong Shen
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Ganesh Narayanan
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Gerry J Antony
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Shanshan Li
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Yavuz Caydamli
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
| | - Alan E Tonelli
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606-8301, USA.
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Tonelli AE. Restructuring polymers via nanoconfinement and subsequent release. Beilstein J Org Chem 2012; 8:1318-32. [PMID: 23019466 PMCID: PMC3458756 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.8.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 07/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past several years my students and I have been utilizing certain small-molecule hosts to create nanostructured polymers. This is accomplished by first forming noncovalently bonded inclusion complexes (ICs) between these small-molecule hosts and guest polymers, followed by the careful removal of the host crystalline lattice to obtain a coalesced bulk polymer. We have repeatedly observed that such coalesced polymer samples behave distinctly from those produced from their solutions or melts. Coalesced amorphous homopolymers exhibit higher glass-transition temperatures, while crystallizable homopolymers coalesced from their ICs display higher melting and crystallization temperatures, and sometimes different crystalline polymorphs. When ICs are formed with block copolymers or with two or more different homopolymers, the resulting coalesced samples can exhibit intimate mixing between the copolymer blocks, or between entire homopolymer chains. Each of the distinct behaviors observed for polymers coalesced from their ICs is a consequence of the structural organization of the polymer-host-ICs. Polymer chains in host-IC crystals are confined to occupy narrow channels (diameter ~0.5-1.0 nm) formed by the small-molecule hosts around the included guest polymers during IC crystallization. This results in the separation and high extension of the included guest polymer chains, which leads, following the careful removal of the host molecule lattice, to unique behaviors for the bulk coalesced polymer samples. Apparently, substantial degrees of the extended and unentangled natures of the IC-included chains are retained upon coalescence. In this review we summarize the behaviors and uses of coalesced polymers, and attempt to draw conclusions on the relationship between their behavior and the organization/structures/conformations of the constituent polymer chains achieved upon coalescence from their ICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan E Tonelli
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8391, Raleigh, NC, 27695-8301, USA
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Gurarslan A, Shen J, Tonelli AE. Behavior of Poly(ε-caprolactone)s (PCLs) Coalesced from Their Stoichiometric Urea Inclusion Compounds and Their Use as Nucleants for Crystallizing PCL Melts: Dependence on PCL Molecular Weights. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma300270g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alper Gurarslan
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science, North Carolina State University, College of Textiles, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, United States
| | - Jialong Shen
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science, North Carolina State University, College of Textiles, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, United States
| | - Alan E. Tonelli
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science, North Carolina State University, College of Textiles, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, United States
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Williamson B, Krishnaswamy R, Tonelli A. Physical properties of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) coalesced from its α-cyclodextrin inclusion compound. POLYMER 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2011.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Gurarslan
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, United States
| | - A. E. Tonelli
- Fiber & Polymer Science Program, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8301, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8301, United States
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Mohan A, Gurarslan A, Joyner X, Child R, Tonelli A. Melt-crystallized nylon-6 nucleated by the constrained chains of its non-stoichiometric cyclodextrin inclusion compounds and the nylon-6 coalesced from them. POLYMER 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2010.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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