The free radical solution polymerization of n-octyl methacrylate has been studied in benzene-d 6 in the presence of 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as thermal initiator. An on-line nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was applied to record the reaction data and to determine the monomer conversion at different times during the polymerization reaction. Effect of monomer and initiator concentration as well as reaction temperature on polymerization rate was studied. The order of the reaction with respect to initiator (0.45) was consistent with the classical kinetic rate equation, while the order of reaction with respect to monomer (1.87) was much greater than unity. An overall activation energy (E a = 53.8 kJ/mol) was obtained over the temperature range 328−338 K. Also, the efficiency of the synthesized poly(n-octyl methacrylate) for improving the viscosity index of the lube oil was investigated.

The method of fabrication of palladium-containing materials based on molded granules of chitosan and its imidazolyl and pyridyl derivatives crosslinked with glutaric aldehyde has been suggested. It has been established by example of the reaction of reduction of p-nitrophenol by sodium boron hydride that the reaction rate increases along with the decrease in the degree of swelling of catalyst support granules. It has been demonstrated using the methods of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, raster electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy that in granules palladium is concentrated in the surface layer with a thickness of 8–10 μm, whereas the profile of the palladium distribution in strongly swelling granules is diffused, and its subsurface content is lower, which results, aside from a dramatic granule collapse, in the decrease in the catalytic activity of such Pd0-containing materials.

Polyisoprene with relatively high content of 1,2/3,4 structure was synthesized using a novel catalyst system composed of MoO2Cl2 supported by phosphorus ligand and Al(OPhCH3)(i-Bu)2 as co-catalyst. The effects of phosphites, phosphates and phosphoric acid as ligands were investigated in the coordination polymerization of isoprene in the chosen catalyst system. The studied ligands significantly affected the catalytic activity of the Mo–Al catalytic active center without significant effect on the stereoselectivity. Mo(VI)-based catalyst system was proved to be highly effective in the polymerization of isoprene even at low [Al]/[Mo] ratio (10), affording polyisoprene with 1,2- and 3,4-% structural units in the range of 44.6–52.5%, high molecular weights Mn ~ 105, and relatively broad molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn = 3.0–4.4). The effect of molar ratio of phosphorous ligand to Mo-catalyst on catalyst activity of isoprene polymerization was discussed, and the structures of Mo–phosphite complexes were preliminarily studied by IR.

Novel luminescent bio-based hydrogels comprising cellulose and Y4Si2O7N2:Ce4+ (YC) were prepared in an alkali/urea aqueous system using epichlorohydrin as a cross-linker. The structure, characteristics and properties of the hydrogels were investigated by various techniques, including FTIR spectroscopy, wideangle X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, etc. The results showed that when the content of YC was less than 0.05 g, the YC particles were tightly embedded in the macro porous of cellulose matrix, which not only supplied cavities for YC immobilization, but also supplied the pore wall to protect the structure and character of YC. Hence, the cellulose–YC hybrid hydrogels exhibited strong cyan fluorescence under a UV lamp. However, excess of YC particles were enshrouded in the cellulose matrix resulted in smaller pores, weaker fluorescence intensity, lower swelling ratio and higher mechanical properties.

The methods for preparation of polyacrolein-based dispersions of microspheres containing organic dyes and luminescent inorganic nanocrystals capable of light excitation in both the ultraviolet and the infrared spectral regions are considered. Microspheres of dispersions act as carriers of bioligands in immunochemical analysis with the visual and instrumental detection of results during labeling of cell receptors and as visualizing agents for in vivo studies. The methods for obtaining dispersions of polyacrolein-containing microspheres with pH- and thermosensitive fluorescence and the peculiarities of the application of these dispersions in bioanalysis are discussed. This review deals with studies that were performed at the Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry.

The kinetics of the polymer cross-metathesis reaction in a mixture of polynorbornene and polycyclooctene catalyzed by the Grubbs first-generation ruthenium catalyst at room temperature is studied. The structure of the reaction product, a multiblock copolymer of norbornene and cyclooctene, is determined by a number of factors typical for a mixture of polymers reacting with each other via the interchange reaction with the participation of terminal groups. The addition of 5 mol % catalyst transforms the mixture into an almost random copolymer over a day. At a lower content of the catalyst, the maximum conversion is reached in a mixture enriched with polynorbornene. The interchain exchange results in an increase in the fraction of trans C=C bonds in polycyclooctene and cyclooctene–norbornene copolymers to 80%.

A series of fluorinated diblock copolymers poly(2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate)-b-poly(glycidyl methacrylate) PHFMA-b-PGMA with different fluorine content were synthesized by activator generated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP). FTIR, 1H NMR and GPC data verified feasibility and controllability of the synthesis. In order to evaluate the effect of chain structure on the surface properties, corresponding homopolymer poly(2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate) and random copolymer copoly(2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate-r-glycidyl methacrylate) were also comparatively studied. Contact angle measurements indicated that the water and ethyleneglycol contact angles of block- and random copolymers increased with increase of fluorine content, but in different manner. This difference comes from different surface energy at the same fluorine content on film surface. The surface stability of block-copolymer was obviously better than that of random copolymer; the same results were observed in heat resistance tests.

The sulfonated polyetherimide (sPEI) was synthesized by direct sulfonation method using chlorosulfonic acid as a sulfonating agent. Different sulfonation degrees of sPEI was obtained by varying the ratio of PEI to chlorosulfonic acid and reaction time. Then, sulfonated polyetherimide was blended with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and thermally cross-linked in order to achieve high performance proton exchange membrane. It was found that the addition of PEG resulted in a significant increase in porosity and water uptake of the membranes, which favored proton transport at low temperature. The maximum proton conductivity was 11 mS/cm at 75°C for the blend membrane containing 20% PEG. The sulfonation and blend modification of PEI were characterized by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy.

It is shown that the products of interaction of ethylene oxide and bicyclic amines containing tertiary nitrogen atoms at the tops of bicyclic structures efficiently initiate the anionic polymerization of acrylonitrile. As opposed to all known initiators of this process, the mentioned initiating systems contain no metal atoms or atoms of elements heavier than oxygen. The polymerization of acrylonitrile under the action of the ethylene oxide–bicyclic amine system in a polar medium (dimethyl sulfoxide) at room temperature occurs in the homogeneous regime over several minutes, while, in a weakly polar solvent (tetrahydrofuran), polymerization occurs in the heterogeneous regime over several hours. The reaction may become homogeneous in a mixture of these solvents at both room temperature and a lower temperature. The number-average molecular masses of the polymers, depending on polymerization conditions, are in the range from 25 × 103 to 480 × 103 and their polydispersity indexes are from 1.55 to ~3.40. It is found that the copolymers of acrylonitrile with oxygen-containing acrylic monomers, as well as with ethylene oxide, can be prepared.

Main methods for the modification of epoxy composites that aim to increase their impact and crack resistances are considered with the main attention focused on modification with the use of thermally stable thermoplastics as additives. The influence of various factors (the modifier–matrix chemical bond and the morphology and molecular weight of the modifier) on the physicomechanical characteristics of the composites is discussed. New approaches to the toughening of polymeric composite materials based on epoxy thermosets that involve the use of modified binders or the introduction of a modifier between layers of the composite prepreg are advanced.