Volume 54 Issue 9, September 2022

The following diagram is the form for Graphical Abstract. The use of color to enhance quality and appearance is encouraged. The graphics should be EPS, PS, CDX, PPT, and TIFF formats at 300 dpi for color and 1200 dpi for black and white.

We describe the synthesis of polycarbonate (PC) by means of the polycondensation of diol formate and dialkyl carbonate through an ester-carbonate exchange reaction. Furthermore, the polycondensation of diol formate and diethyl carbonate in the presence of polyester (PEs) under reduced pressure affords a statistical copolymer of PC and PEs. The composition of PC and PEs in the copolymer can be arbitrarily altered by changing the feed ratio of the monomers to PEs.

Mannich-type polycondensation of diamines, bisphenols and PF was conducted in CHCl₃, CHCl₃/triethylamine, and CHCl₃/triethanolamine, respectively. The products were greatly affected by the solvents used. Owing to the combination of alkalinity and solvation effect of triethanolamine, CHCl₃/triethanolamine was preferable for Mannich-type polycondensation which gave main-chain benzoxazines possessing M_n up to 10,000, oxazine content >80.0% and yield >96.0%.

Poly(substituted methylene)s possess higher dense side chains and their chain mobilities are restricted, relative to conventional vinyl polymers. The surface of poly(substituted methylene)s was more hydrophobic. In particular, the poly(substituted methylene) with perfluoroalkyl groups showed lower surface free energy than the corresponding vinyl polymer. Moreover, the surface of block-like copolymer of poly(substituted methylene) was more hydrophobic than that of random copolymer. The preparation methods of films of poly(substituted methylene) with ethyl ester side chains controlled their surface free energies and structures.

A pair of the oppositely charged diblock copolymer was used to prepare the polyion complex (PIC) micelle by mixing them in an aqueous medium using electrostatic, hydrophobic, and π–π interactions. The PIC micelles attained the maximum size and aggregation number when the charges of the cationic and anionic blocks were neutralized. The PIC micelle was stable against NaCl because the core was formed by electrostatic, hydrophobic, and π–π interactions. The micelle can encapsulate charge and hydrophobic guest molecules.

A side-chain crystalline block copolymer (SCCBC) was applied for the chemical modification of polyethylene surfaces. A block copolymer with stearyl and epoxy groups was prepared by nitroxide-mediated living radical polymerization. This copolymer had a phase transition temperature of ~40 °C. When the SCCBC was immobilized on polyethylene, a polymeric layer with nucleophilic reactivity was formed. The layer thickness increased with increasing copolymer concentration. Galactoside ligands were added to the polymeric layer by the ring-opening addition reaction of the epoxide. The glyco-functionalized interface exhibited specific protein binding.

Organic compounds with conjugated carbonyl groups used as electrode material for secondary battery is attractive attention. We have been focused on disodium terephthalate and its polymer derivative as active anode material for secondary battery. Herein, we synthesized a novel vinyl polymer bearing an extended conjugated disodium dicarboxylate and it was evaluated as an anode active material for sodium-ion battery to discuss the correlation between structure and electrochemical properties. We suggest that the longer π-extended systems on the side chains provide a better anode performance of sodium-ion batteries.

An approach inspired by biomineralization has allowed us to develop various organic/inorganic hybrid materials with environmental benignity. In the present study, we have achieved the orientation control of zinc hydroxide carbonate (ZHC) thin-film crystals through the chemical structures and morphologies of the templates. After the thermal treatment of the ZHC thin films, the crystal orientations of the resultant zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are maintained. The effects of the thickness and annealing time for the polymer templates on the formation of ZnO thin films have been examined.

The effect of the nucleating agent masterbatch carrier resin on the nonisothermal crystallization of a pipe-grade polypropylene block copolymer was investigated at three different cooling rates using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Crystallization kinetic parameters obtained from DSC cooling curves showed that incorporation of a nucleating agent by means of a masterbatch increased the crystallization rate by approximately two times compared to that of the sample with the same concentration of nucleating agent without the use of a masterbatch.

We investigated stereospecific copolymerization of styrene with p-divinylbenzene (DVB) using an aryl-substituted [OSSO]-type zirconium(IV) precatalyst with dried modified-methylaluminoxane (dMMAO) as an activator. The resulting poly(iso-styrene‐co‐DVB)s possessed very high molecular weights (M_w = 93,000−131,000 g mol⁻¹) and unimodal polydispersity indices (PDI = 1.8−2.5). The DVB contents (7–20 mol %) in the copolymer could be varied depending upon the feed concentration. These copolymers exhibited an amorphous phase structure with glass transition temperatures (T_g values) of 84.8–110.9 °C.