Glass Transition Temperature and β Relaxation Temperature around Chain End of Polystyrene Determined by Site Specific Spin Labeling

Length Scale of Molecular Motions Governing Glass Equilibration in Hyperquenched and Slow-Cooled Polystyrene

Polymer glasses attain thermodynamic equilibrium owing to structural relaxation at various length scales. Herein, calorimetry experiments were conducted to trace the macroscopic relaxation of slow-cooled (SC) and hyperquenched (HQ) polystyrene (PS) glasses and based on detailed comparisons with molecular dynamics probed by dye reorientation, we discussed the possible molecular process governing the equilibration of PS glasses near the glass transition temperatures (Tg). Both SC and HQ glasses equilibrate owing to the cooperative segment motion above a characteristic temperature (Tc) slightly lower than the Tg. In contrast, below the Tc, the localized backbone motion with an apparent activation energy of 290 ± 20 kJ/mol, involving approximately six repeating units, assists equilibrium recovery of PS glasses on the experimentally accessible time scales. The results possibly indicate the presence of an alternative mechanism other than the α-cooperative process controlling physical aging of materials in their deep glassy states.

Uncovering the bridging role of slow atoms in unusual caged dynamics and β-relaxation of binary metallic glasses

The origin of β-relaxation in metallic glasses is still not fully understood, and the guidance of slow atoms for caged dynamics and β-relaxation is rarely mentioned. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal the bridging role of slow atoms on unusual caged dynamics and β-relaxation. In the stage of unusual caged dynamics, slow atoms are bounded by neighboring atoms. It is difficult for the slow atoms to break the cage, producing more high-frequency vibration, which causes more atoms to jump out of the cage randomly in the next stage. Precisely, the movement of the slow atoms changes from individual atoms vibrating inside the cage and gradually breaking out of the cage into a string-like pattern. The string-like collective atomic jumps cause decay of the cages, inducing β-relaxation. This situation generally exists in binary systems with the large atomic mass difference. This work offers valuable insights for understanding the role of slow atoms in unusual caged dynamics and β-relaxation, complementing studies on the origin of β-relaxation in metallic glasses and their glass-forming liquids.

Effect of molding history on molecular orientation relaxation during physical aging of polystyrene injection moldings

This work examined the effect of changing molding conditions on the physical aging of polystyrene injection moldings. First, we investigated the relationship between the molecular orientation and the molding conditions. The molecular orientation near the surface changed with changing injection rate, so we hypothesized that this molecular orientation might form during the filling stage. Because this molecular orientation did not relax under heat treatment below the glass transition temperature (T g), the oriented molecules near the surface were thought to be elongated owing to the high strain rate during the filling stage. On the other hand, the molecular orientation in the core layer changed with changing holding pressure and relaxed under heat treatment below T g. Thus, the molecules in the core layer might become oriented during the holding stage and not be elongated owing to the slow strain rate. Furthermore, the molecular orientation in the core layer decreased with increasing mold temperature, and the physical heat resistance improved with increasing mold temperature. Meanwhile, the excess enthalpy did not change with changing molding conditions. Therefore, the improvement in physical heat resistance with increasing mold temperature was likely caused by the decrease in the molecular orientation in the core layer. Analyzing the relaxation behavior of the molecular orientation suggested that increasing mold temperature reduced the number of oriented molecules with large deformation in the core layer.

Domain-Specific Phase Transitions in a Supramolecular Nanostructure

Understanding thermal phase behavior within nanomaterials can inform their rational design for medical technologies like drug delivery systems and vaccines, as well as for energy technologies and catalysis. This study resolves thermal phases of discrete domains within a supramolecular aramid amphiphile (AA) nanoribbon. Dynamics are characterized by X-band EPR spectroscopy of spin labels positioned at specific sites through the nanoribbon cross-section. The fitting of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) line shapes reveals distinct conformational dynamics, with fastest dynamics at the surface water layer, intermediate dynamics within the flexible cationic head group domain, and slowest dynamics in the interior aramid domain. Measurement of conformational mobility as a function of temperature reveals first- and second-order phase transitions, with melting transitions observed in the surface and head group domains and a temperature-insensitive crystalline phase in the aramid domain. Arrhenius analysis yields activation energies of diffusion at each site. This work demonstrates that distinct thermal phase behaviors between adjacent nanodomains within a supramolecular nanostructure may be resolved and illustrates the utility of EPR spectroscopy for thermal phase characterization of nanostructures.

Effect of alkali metal cations on network rearrangement in polyisoprene ionomers

The effects of cations, Li⁺, Na⁺, and Cs⁺, on the structure of ionic aggregates and network rearrangement in carboxylated polyisoprene (PI) ionomers were studied. We found that network rearrangement via interaggregate hopping of metal carboxylates is improved with a decrease in cation size, even though density functional theory (DFT) calculation indicated the increase in the attractive interaction between metal carboxylates. At the same time, we also found that as the size of the cation decreases, the inclusion of the PI segment in the ionic aggregate increases. The DFT calculation suggested the cation-π interaction between the cation and double bonds in the PI segment as the cause for the inclusion. The inclusion of the PI segment with a low glass transition temperature (T_g) plasticizes the ionic aggregate and would sterically hinder the attractive interaction between metal carboxylates. In fact, the electron spin resonance measurement revealed a decrease in the T_g of the ionic aggregate with a decrease in cation size. Based on our findings, we proposed that the inclusion of PI segments in the ionic aggregate is the possible cause for the enhancement of network rearrangement in the carboxylated PI ionomers with a decrease in the cation size.

Release kinetics as a key linkage between the occurrence of flame retardants in microplastics and their risk to the environment and ecosystem: A critical review

The widely occurring debris of plastic materials, particularly microplastics, can be an important source of flame retardants, which are one of the main groups of chemicals added in the production of plastics from polymers. This review provides an overview on the use of flame retardants in plastic manufacturing, the kinetics of their releases from microplastics, the factors affecting their releases, and the potential environmental and ecosystem risk of the released flame retardants. The releases of flame retardants from microplastics typically involve three major steps: internal diffusion, mass transfer across the plastic-medium boundary layer, and diffusion in the environmental medium, while the overall mass transfer rate is commonly controlled by diffusion within the plastic matrix. The overall release rates of additive flame retardants from microplastics, which are dependent on the particle's geometry, can often be described by the Fick's Law. The physicochemical properties of flame retardant and plastic matrix, and ambient temperature all affect the release rate, which can be predicted with empirical and semi-empirical models. Weathering of microplastics, which reduces their particle sizes and likely disrupts their polymeric structures, can greatly accelerate the releases of flame retardants. Flame retardants could also be released directly from the microplastics ingested by aquatic organisms and seabirds, with physical and chemical digestion in the bodies significantly enhancing their release rates. Limited by the extremely slow diffusion in plastic matrices, the fluxes of flame retardants released from microplastics are very low, and are unlikely to pose significant risk to the ecosystem in general. More research is needed to characterize the mechanical, chemical, and biological processes that degrade microplastics and accelerate the releases of flame retardants and to model their release kinetics from microplastics, while efforts should also be made to develop environmentally benign flame retardants to ultimately minimize their risk to the environment and ecosystem.

Glass Transition Behaviors of Poly (Vinyl Pyridine)/Poly (Vinyl Phenol) Revisited

We examined the composition and molecular weight dependence of the glass transition temperature in detail for two types of hydrogen bonding miscible blends: poly (2-vinyl pyridine)/poly (vinyl phenol) (2VPy/VPh) and poly (4-vinyl pyridine)/poly (vinyl phenol) (4VPy/VPh). Regarding the functional form of the glass transition temperature, Tg, as a function of the weight fraction, we found a weak deviation from the Kwei equation for 2VPy/VPh blends. In contrast, such a deviation was not observed for the 4VPy/VPh blend. By relating the difference in the functional forms of Tg between the two blend systems to the difference in hydrogen bonding ability, we proposed a modified version of the Kwei equation. As for the interaction parameter, q in the Kwei equation, clear molecular weight dependence was observed for 2VPy/VPh blends: the lower the VPh molecular weight in the oligomer level, the higher the q values, suggesting the higher hydrogen bonding formability near the polymer chain ends than the middle part of a polymer chain.

Dynamically Evolving Surface Patterns through Light-Triggered Wrinkling Erasure

For many applications, it is imperative that changes in polymer surface topography, especially periodic patterns, can be triggered on command by a well-defined remote signal. In this contribution, we report a light-induced cascade of changes in wrinkling wavelengths on thin polymer layers supported by an elastomeric substrate under tensile stress. Through the applied supramolecular design, the effect of varying the ratio of light-active and light-passive components can be easily assessed, and it is shown that both the cascade type as well as the rate of the progress of the dynamic light-induced changes can be tuned by this ratio as well as by the light intensity. Furthermore, for the reported phenomena to occur, nominally only every 20th polymer repeat unit needs to be occupied by a chromophore, which makes the conversion of the sub-nanometer photoisomerization reaction into 10 μm scale changes of periodic surface patterns extremely efficient.

A semi-interpenetrating network approach for dimensionally stabilizing highly-charged anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cells

There is a delicate balance between ion exchange capacity (IEC), conductivity, and dimensional stability in anion exchange membranes as higher charge content can lead to increased water uptake, causing excessive swelling and charge dilution. Using highly-charged benzyltrimethylammonium polysulfone (IEC=2.99 mEq g(-1) ) as a benchmark (which ruptured in water even at room temperature), we report the ability to dramatically decrease water uptake using a semi-interpenetrating network wherein we reinforced the linear polyelectrolyte with a crosslinked poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) network. These membranes show enhanced dimensional stability as a result of lower water uptake (75 % vs. 301 % at 25 °C) while maintaining excellent hydroxide conductivity (up to 50 mS cm(-1) at 25 °C). These improvements produced an enhanced alkaline fuel cell capable of generating 236 mW cm(-2) peak power density at 80 °C. This method is easily adaptable and can be a viable strategy for stabilizing existing systems.

Rapid Stretching Vibration at the Polymer Chain End

Stretching vibrations of aliphatic C-D bonds at the chain end and midchain site of partially deuterated polystyrene (PS) were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. It was first found that the stretching vibration at the chain end is more rapid compared to that at the midchain site in the glassy bulk state. The difference in the frequencies of the stretching vibrations at the chain end and midchain site changed little even when the PS was dissolved in toluene. Moreover, the DFT vibrational frequency calculations showed that the C-D bonds at the end site intrinsically have higher vibrational frequency because of lower intramolecular interactions at the chain end. From these results, it was concluded that the main origin for the local rapid stretching vibration at the chain end is not intermolecular effects but reduced intramolecular interactions induced by the discontinuity of the repeating unit at the chain end.