Molecular dynamics simulation of the structural and mechanical property changes in the Brill transition of nylon 10/10 crystal

Hydration, Refinement, and Dissolution of the Crystalline Phase in Polyamide 6 Polymorphs for Ultimate Thermomechanical Properties

Timescales of polyamide 6 melt-shaping technologies, relative to the dynamics of conformational rearrangements upon crystallization, challenge the formation of the most thermodynamically favorable chain packing and thus optimum performance. In this publication, we make use of the mediation of hydrogen bonding by water molecules in the superheated state of water, i.e., above 100 °C in a closed environment, in the structural refinement of polyamide 6 for enhanced thermomechanical performance. The paper addresses dissolution and (re)crystallization of different polyamide 6 polymorphs in the superheated state of water by time-resolved simultaneous small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and solid-state ¹H NMR spectroscopy and the effect on mechanical properties. The experiments reveal that upon heating in the superheated state of water, the pseudo-hexagonal phase dissolves at relatively low temperature and instantly crystallizes in a defected monoclinic phase that successively refines to a perfected monoclinic structure. The dissolution temperature of the pseudo-hexagonal phase of polyamide 6 is found to be dependent on the degree of crystal perfection originating from conformational disorder and misalignment of hydrogen bonding in the lattice, retrospectively, to the Brill transition temperature. The perfected monoclinic phase below the dissolution temperature can be preserved upon cooling but is plasticized by hydration of the amide moieties in the crystalline phase. The removal of water from the hydrated crystals, in the proximity of Brill transition temperature, strengthening the hydrogen bonding, occurs. Retrospectively, the most thermodynamically stable crystallographic phase is preserved and renders an increase in mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the product. The insight obtained on the influence of superheated water on the structural refinement of imperfected crystallographic states assists in polyamide 6 postprocessing strategies for enhanced performance.

The Thermal Behavior of γ-PA1010: Evolution of Structure and Morphology in the Simultaneous Thermal Stretched Films

In this work, polyamide 1010 (PA1010) films were prepared by melt-quenching. A wide-angle X-ray diffractometer (WAXD) with a thermal stretching stage was used to investigate the structure transformation, crystallinity and degree of orientation in the course of simultaneous thermally stretched PA1010. The crystallinity increased along with the increase of draw ratio and then decreased as the draw ratio was over 2.00 times—which the maximum value reached when the draw ratio was about 2.00 times. The degree of orientation of γ-PA1010 was much greater at higher temperature than room temperature (RT); the difference gradually became weaker with the increase of draw ratio. There was a linear relationship between the draw ratios and tensile force at higher temperatures, and the tensile force increased with the increase of draw ratios. The tensile force may induce crystallization and promote orientation in the course of simultaneous thermally stretched PA1010. These phenomena are beneficial to understand the structure-processing-performance relationship and provide some theoretical basis for the processing and production.

Investigation of the Brill transition in nylon 6,6 by Raman, THz-Raman, and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy

The Brill transition is a phase transition process in polyamides related with structural changes between the hydrogen bonds of the lateral functional groups (CO) and (NH). In this study, we have used the potential of Raman spectroscopy for exploring this phase transition in polyamide 6,6 (nylon 6,6), due to the sensitivity of this spectroscopic technique to small intermolecular changes affecting vibrational properties of relevant functional groups. During a step by step heating and cooling process of the sample we collected Raman spectra allowing us from two-dimensional Raman correlation spectroscopy to identify which spectral regions suffered the largest influence during the Brill transition, and from Terahertz Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy to obtain complementary information, e.g. on the temperature of the sample. This allowed us to grasp signatures of the Brill transition from peak parameters of vibrational modes associated with (CC) skeletal stretches and (CNH) bending, and to verify the Brill transition temperature at around 160°C, as well as the reversibility of this phase transition.

Self-Associated Polyamide Alloys with Tailored Polymorphism Transition and Lamellar Thickening for Advanced Mechanical Application

Long chain polyamides with various number of methylene units in recurring amide groups, PA1012 and PA612, were blended to combine their unique advantages. The Brill transition and accompanied lamellar thickening were investigated by in situ wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and small angle X-ray scattering. From WAXS patterns, the transformation from the α- to γ-crystalline phase, known as "Brill transition", can be independently observed in the constituent phases of the long chain polyamide alloys (LCPAs) during heating. A constant T_b (ca., 100 °C) irrespective of the blend composition and proportional variations of the phase content was obtained. Additionally, with elevated temperature, a gradual increase in both the crystalline layer (L_c) and amorphous layer (L_a) was detected in constituent polyamides. The compositional independence of the Brill transition in LCPAs and similar lamellar thickening originate from the complete immiscibility of both polyamides, which share stronger intramolecular rather than intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction and hence exhibit self-association. Contributed by the γ phase, with less extended structure and increased lamellar thickness with compact stacking, LCPAs with controlled strength and flexible features can be achieved, which can be utilized in advanced mechanical applications, particularly for hoses of automobiles. The unusually linear compositional dependence of mechanical parameters makes it possible to tailor the polymorphic and tensile properties.

"Brill Transition" Shown by Green Material Poly(octamethylene carbonate)

Poly(octamethylene carbonate) (POMC), as the eighth member of the newly developed biodegradable aliphatic polycarbonate family, demonstrates a reversible crystal-crystal transition, which is highly similar to Brill transition extensively studied in the nylon family. With the dipole-dipole interaction in POMC much weaker than the hydrogen bonding, POMC exhibits its "Brill transition" temperature at around 42 °C, much lower than nylons. The two crystalline structures of POMC at below and above the transition temperature can be identified. The transition of POMC is largely associated with the reversible conformation change of methylene sequences from trans-dominated at low temperatures to trans/gauche coexistence at high temperatures.

Crystal structures of n-alkane with three functional groups in the middle and at both ends

We synthesized a linear alkane, K35DA, with a main-chain carbon number n = 33 and three functional groups, a carbonyl group in the middle and carboxyl groups at both ends, and studied influences of the functional groups as well as chain length on morphologies of samples prepared by solution-grown and bulk crystallization methods (SG-K35DA and BK-K35DA) from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction, and IR absorption measurements. Data analyses reveal that at room temperature an orthorhombic crystal of type P2(1)2(1)2(1), together with a considerable amount of amorphous fraction, is predominantly realized in BK-K35DA due to the van der Waals force between neighboring long methylene sequences, whereas a monoclinic type of crystal belonging to the same space group (P2(1)/c) as reported for linear dicarboxylic acid crystals with odd carbon numbers is coexistent for SG-K35DA. The crystalline structures appear to be distorted with increasing temperature, as the dipole-dipole interaction between the carbonyl groups tends to be weakened, and both orthorhombic and monoclinic crystals undergo the solid-solid phase transition to the hexagonal crystalline structure at a temperature about 10 K below their respective T(m)s, which can be regarded as a new example of the Brill transition.

Role of superheated water in the dissolution and perturbation of hydrogen bonding in the crystalline lattice of polyamide 4,6

Here, we demonstrate that water, in the superheated state, is a solvent for polyamide 4,6 (PA4,6) and that the water molecules can strongly influence hydrogen bonding. In the presence of superheated water, the melting temperature of PA4,6 can be suppressed by nearly 100 degrees C. The depression in the melting temperature follows the Flory-Huggins principle. The instantaneous dissolution of the polymer hardly influences the molar mass of the polymer. However, if the polymer is retained in solution above the dissolution temperature for more than 10 min, hydrolysis occurs. These findings suggest that the dissolution of the aliphatic polymer in superheated water is mainly a physical process as opposed to a chemical process. Time resolved X-ray studies show that the dissolution occurs prior to the Brill transition temperature, as reported earlier. Crystals grown from the water solution show a lath-like morphology with interchain and intersheet distances that are similar to the distances obtained for crystals grown from other known solvents. Electron diffraction further confirmed that the crystals grown from superheated water are single crystals, where the chains are perpendicular to the ab-plane. SAXS performed on dried sedimented water grown single crystals showed a lamellar thickness of 6 nm. The lamellar thickness is in accordance with other reported studies on PA4,6, confirming that the single crystals incorporate four repeat units between re-entrant folds with an amide group incorporated in the tight fold. Solid state NMR studies performed on mats of these single crystals showed two different mobilities of the proton associated with the amide groups: a higher mobility linked to the amide protons in the fold and a reduced mobility of the hydrogen bonded amide protons within the crystal. Additionally, the solid state NMR studies on the dried water crystallized single crystals show the presence of water molecule(s) in the vicinity of the amide groups. This was confirmed by infrared studies that conclusively demonstrated the appearance of two new bands arising due to the binding of a water molecule in the vicinity of the amide group (i.e., NH3(+) and COO(-) bands that disappear upon heating at approximately 200 degrees C). Additionally, DSC traces of the water crystallized PA4,6 show an exothermic event in the same temperature region (i.e., in the vicinity of the Brill transition temperature, where the bound water exits from the lattice). Furthermore, this event was corroborated by TGA data.