Diffusive properties of solvent molecules in the neighborhood of a polymer chain as seen by Monte-Carlo simulations.

The influence of both polymer chain length and concentration on the mobility of solvent molecules in polymer solutions was studied by Monte Carlo simulations with the use of the dynamic lattice liquid (DLL) model. The poly(vinylmethylether)-water system was used as a model. Two different solvent (water) states with differing mobilities were distinguished in polymer solutions. The first one with high molecular mobility independent of polymer concentration corresponds to bulk solvent in real systems. The second state relates to so called bound solvent. In this case the solvent diffusivity decreases with polymer content. For diluted solutions the diffusion of bound solvent is affected by polymer chain length, precisely, by the ability of the polymer chain to undergo coil formation.

A new class of tunable hypersonic phononic crystals based on polymer-tethered colloids.

The design and engineering of hybrid materials exhibiting tailored phononic band gaps are fundamentally relevant to innovative material technologies in areas ranging from acoustics to thermo-optic devices. Phononic hybridization gaps, originating from the anti-crossing between local resonant and propagating modes, have attracted particular interest because of their relative robustness to structural disorder and the associated benefit to 'manufacturability'. Although hybridization gap materials are well known, their economic fabrication and efficient control of the gap frequency have remained elusive because of the limited property variability and expensive fabrication methodologies. Here we report a new strategy to realize hybridization gap materials by harnessing the 'anisotropic elasticity' across the particle-polymer interface in densely polymer-tethered colloidal particles. Theoretical and Brillouin scattering analysis confirm both the robustness to disorder and the tunability of the resulting hybridization gap and provide guidelines for the economic synthesis of new materials with deliberately controlled gap position and width frequencies.

Individual bottle brush molecules in dense 2D layers restoring high degree of extension after collapse-decollapse cycle: directly measured scaling exponent.

We prepared dense films of adsorbed brush-like macromolecules on mica substrate by transfer of compressed Langmuir monolayers from water subphase. The main macromolecular contours in the dense films were clearly resolved by SFM. The films were subjected to successive treatments by ethanol and water vapours. In accordance with previous results for isolated macromolecules, the films underwent collapse and subsequent decollapse morphological transformations in the changing vapour environment. Statistical analysis of the macromolecular dimensions in the films allowed us to measure the values of the scaling exponent nu determining the correlation between mean lateral and linear dimensions of the macromolecules. The analysis showed that the macromolecular conformations in the film as transferred were similar to the previously described conformations of the same macromolecules deposited directly on mica as isolated chains at much lower surface densities. The determined nu was close to the 0.75 value corresponding to the 2D SAW statistics. We assumed that the molecules retained the high degree of extension during the compression step due to suppressed reorganisation of the side chains. Differently from previous observations for isolated macromolecules, the restored conformations in the dense films after collapse-decollapse cycle were more extended with the nu of about 0.73 value. A theoretical explanation of the high degree of re-extension is proposed.

Nanoengineered analytical immobilized metal affinity chromatography stationary phase by atom transfer radical polymerization: separation of synthetic prion peptides.

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was employed to create isolated, metal-containing nanoparticles on the surface of nonporous polymeric beads with the goal of developing a new immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) stationary phase for separating prion peptides and proteins. Transmission electron microscopy was used to visualize nanoparticles on the substrate surface. Individual ferritin molecules were also visualized as ferritin-nanoparticle complexes. The column's resolving power was tested by synthesizing peptide analogs to the copper binding region of prion protein and injecting mixtures of these analogs onto the column. As expected, the column was capable of separating prion-related peptides differing in number of octapeptide repeat units (PHGGGWGQ), (PHGGGWGQ)(2), and (PHGGGWGQ)(4). Unexpectedly, the column could also resolve peptides containing the same number of repeats but differing only in the presence of a hydrophilic tail, Q-->A substitution, or amide nitrogen methylation.

Conformational dynamics of single molecules visualized in real time by scanning force microscopy: macromolecular mobility on a substrate surface in different vapours.

We describe a technique to visualize and effect in real time motion and conformational transitions of single macromolecules. Two steps are involved. First, scanning force microscopy (SFM) was applied to detect in situ conformational transitions of single polymer molecules adsorbed on a substrate surface. Secondly, these changes were induced by controlled variations of environmental conditions in a microscope environmental chamber. In particular, we have revealed that exposure of a substrate with adsorbed macromolecules to vapours of different nature was able to increase molecular mobility and to stimulate conformational transitions of the polymer chains on the surface. Realization of SFM observation in a variable vapour environment was not as difficult as in liquid media. Variations of the vapour composition affected the oscillation dynamics of the cantilever with the scanning probe only to a small extent, and did not impede continuation of the scanning procedure. In fact, the characteristic times of the observed conformational changes were large enough (minutes to dozens of minutes) for sampling images repeatedly. Although recording of an SFM image was slow and required several minutes, we were able to visualize step-by-step the successive stages of the slow conformational transformation of the macromolecules adhering to the substrate, i.e. to investigate a molecular response to the environment changes in real time. Here, we studied the reversible collapse-decollapse transitions of cylindrical poly(methacrylate)-graft-poly(n-butyl acrylate) brush-like macromolecules exposed to different vapours. Single macromolecules on mica tended to assume a compacted globular conformation when exposed to the vapour of compounds, which due to their amphiphilic nature adsorb on mica and lower the surface energy of the substrate (e.g. alcohols). By contrast, the macromolecules adopted extended two-dimensional worm-like conformations in the vapours of compounds having high values of surface tension (such as water). In our opinion, the reason for the observed tendency was a competition in spreading on the substrate surface between the macromolecules and the co-adsorbed vapour molecules. If the brush-like macromolecules succeeded in the spreading, they acquired an extended conformation. Otherwise they collapsed to globuli in order to reduce the surface area per macromolecule. Thus, the enhanced mobility of synthetic macromolecules on a substrate observed in a vapour environment in combination with the possibility to manipulate the macromolecular conformation via changes in a vapour phase and the ability to visualize the transitions of the macromolecules individually, provides challenging prospects for SFM studies on the dynamics of single molecules under applied external stimuli.

Complex nanostructured materials from segmented copolymers prepared by ATRP.

The development of new controlled/living radical polymerization processes, such as Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) and other techniques such as nitroxide mediated polymerization and degenerative transfer processes, including RAFT, opened the way to the use of radical polymerization for the synthesis of well-defined, complex functional nanostructures. The development of such nanostructures is primarily dependent on self-assembly of well-defined segmented copolymers. This article describes the fundamentals of ATRP, relevant to the synthesis of such systems. The self-assembly of block copolymers prepared by ATRP is illustrated by three examples. In the first, block copolymers of poly(butyl acrylate) with polyacrylonitrile phase separate, leading to spherical, cylindrical or lamellar morphologies, depending on the block copolymer composition. At a higher temperature, polyacrylonitrile block converts to nanostructured carbon clusters, whereas poly(butyl acrylate) block serves as a sacrificial block, aiding the development of designed nanostructures. In the second example, conductive nanoribbons of poly(n-hexylthiophene) surrounded by a matrix of organic polymers are formed from block copolymers prepared by ATRP. The third example describes an inorganic-organic hybrid system consisting of hard nanocolloidal silica particles (approximately 20 nm) grafted by ATRP with well-defined polystyrene-poly(benzyl acrylate) block copolymer chains (approximately 1000 chains per particle). Silica cores in this system are surrounded by a rigid polystyrene inner shell and softer polyacrylate outer shell.

Synthesis, characterization, and bromine substitution by 4,4'-di(5-nonyl)-2,2'-bipyridine in Cu(II)(4,4'-di(5-nonyl)-2,2'-bipyridine)Br(2).

The crystal structure of a novel compound Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br(2) (dNbpy = 4,4'-di(5-nonyl)-2,2'-bipyridine), which is used in the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization, is reported. Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br(2) crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group with a = 12.5283(11) A, b = 15.0256(14) A, c = 17.7900(16) A, alpha = 90.350(2) degrees, beta = 99.360(2) degrees, gamma = 107.937(2) degrees, and Z = 2. The Cu(II) center in the complex has a distorted square planar geometry and is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of a single dNbpy ligand (Cu-N = 2.011(7) and 2.022(7) A) and two bromine atoms (Cu-Br = 2.3621(14) and 2.3567(13) A). The similarity of the absorption spectra in the solid state and in solution suggested that the geometry of the complex remained unchanged upon dissolution. In the presence of dNbpy, Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br(2) undergoes Br substitution to form ionic [Cu(II)(dNbpy)(2)Br](+)[Br](-). DeltaH degrees and DeltaS degrees values for this equilibrium were negative and dependent on the polarity of the medium. It was found that, under the typical polymerization conditions (T > or =90 degrees C and the total copper concentration in the range 1.0 x 10(-2)-1.0 x 10(-1) M), Cu(II)Br(2) and 2 equiv of dNbpy will predominantly form the neutral Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br(2) complex. In a polar medium under the same conditions, [Cu(II)(dNbpy)(2)Br](+)[Br](-) is preferred.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study of Cu(I) and Cu(II) bipyridine complexes employed in atom transfer radical polymerization

We report an electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study of Cu(I) and Cu(II) bipyridine complexes employed in atom transfer radical polymerization. Mass spectra of Cu(I)Br complexed with 2 equiv. of 4,4'-di(5-nonyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (dNbpy) in toluene, methyl acrylate or styrene showed the presence of [Cu(I)(dNbpy)(2)](+) cation and [Cu(I)Br(2)](-) anion. For the Cu(II)Br(2)/2dNbpy system, [Cu(II)(dNbpy)(2)Br](+), [Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br](+), [Cu(I)Br(2)](-), [Cu(II)Br(3)](-) and [Cu(II)(dNbpy)Br(3)](-) species were observed. In addition, for mixed Cu(I)Br/2dNbpy and Cu(II)Br(2)/2dNbpy systems, the negative ion mode showed only the presence of [Cu(I)Br(2)](-) anions, which are potentially formed through halogen exchange between [Cu(II)Br(3)](-) and [Cu(I)(dNbpy)(2)](+). Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radical Nature of Cu-Catalyzed Controlled Radical Polymerizations (Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization).

Copper-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is one of the most robust and precise techniques for controlling radical polymerization. The very good control of molecular weights, polydispersities, functionalities, chain composition, and topologies unusual for radical systems combined with the application of transition metals as catalysts requires more detailed mechanistic studies and proof of the radical nature of active species. The following results are in agreement with the radical nature of ATRP: reverse ATRP, chemoselectivities similar to those for conventional radical polymerization (effect of additives and inhibitors/scavengers, reactivity ratios, transfer coefficients), regioselectivities similar to those for conventional radical polymerization (low proportion of head-to-head units and expected structure of both tail and head end groups), stereoselectivities (tacticities) similar to that in conventional radical polymerization, EPR detection of X-Mtn+1 species resulting from the persistent radical effect, and confirmation of the termination by doubling molecular weights as well as cross-linking with multifunctional initiators and inimers. In addition, it seems that, in most ATRP systems, the contribution of degenerative transfer and reversible formation of organometallic intermediates is small and a halogen atom is transferred in the concerted process rather than in a two-step process with the involvement of radical anions.

Interaction of Propagating Radicals with Copper(I) and Copper(II) Species.

The effects of copper(I) and copper(II) metal centers on the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene and methyl acrylate were investigated. The free-radical polymerizations were initiated by AIBN in the presence of copper(I) and copper(II) complexes. For methyl acrylate, the rate of the polymerization was reduced in the presence of CuIBr/dNbpy and CuIOTf/dTbpy but was unaffected by the presence of CuII(OTf)2/dTbpy. For styrene, under conditions which yield relatively low molecular weight polymer (16 000), no effect was observed in the presence of CuII(OTf)2/dNbpy; however, under conditions which yield high molecular weight polystyrene (50 000-100 000), the polymerization was limited in the molecular weight attainable and stopped at partial conversion. No effect was observed for the free-radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of copper(I) complexes. These results indicate that control in ATRP does not originate in interactions of growing radicals with copper complexes but in the reversible halogen atom transfer.

Polymers with Very Low Polydispersities from Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

A radical polymerization process that yields well-defined polymers normally obtained only through anionic polymerizations is reported. Atom transfer radical polymerizations of styrene were conducted with several solubilizing ligands for the copper(I) halides: 4,4'-di-tert-butyl, 4,4'-di-n-heptyl, and 4,4'-di-(5-nonyl)-2,2'-dipyridyl. The resulting polymerizations have all of the characteristics of a living polymerization and displayed linear semilogarithmic kinetic plots, a linear correlation between the number-average molecular weight and the monomer conversion, and low polydispersities (ratio of the weight-average to number-average molecular weights of 1.04 to 1.05). Similar results were obtained for the polymerization of acrylates.

Indicator characteristics of bromothymol blue derivatives.

Some Bromothymol Blue derivatives with a nitro, amino, isothiocyanato or sulfonamide group substituted on the sulfonated ring of the dibromothymolsulfonephthalein have been studied spectrometrically. All the dyes have two characteristic absorption peaks which can be used to measure pH in the physiological range. The molar absorptivities, wavelengths of maximum absorption and pK(a) values have been determined from the absorbances, and are similar for all four dyes.