Robert W. Lenz

Synthesis, doping, and electrical conductivity of high molecular weight poly(p-phenylene vinylene)

Abstract High molecular weight poly( p -phenylene vinylene) (PPV) has been synthesized starting from the monomer p -xylylene- bis (dimethylsulphonium chloride). The latter was polymerized to yield a water-soluble sulphonium salt polyelectrolyte, which was converted to PPV by the thermal elimination of (CH 3 ) 2 S and HCl from films cast from aqueous solution. The elimination reaction was studied by elemental analysis and by thermogravimetric analysis and mass spectrometry. The PPV films had good mechanical properties and could be n- and p-doped to yield material with electrical conductivities approaching those of highly doped polyacetylene. The degree of conversion of the intermediate polyelectrolyte to PPV could be controlled and the conductivities of these doped films could be related to the average conjugation length.

Ability of the phototrophic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum to produce various poly (β-hydroxyalkanoates): Potential sources for biodegradable polyesters

Studies have been carried out in order to optimize growth and culture conditions for the intracellular formation of poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) in the phototrophic, purple, non-sulphur bacterium Rhodospirilum rubrum. Its potential to produce novel copolymers was investigated. Recently, it has become of industrial interest to evaluate these polyesters as potentially biodegradable plastics for a wide range of possible applications. On an industrial scale, the use of photosynthetic bacteria could harness sunlight as an energy source for the production of these materials. R. rubrum was grown anaerobically in the light on different linear and branched beta-hydroxycarboxylic acids and various n-alkanoic acids. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions a PHA content of up to 45% of cellular dry weight was detected. When R. rubrum was grown on different concentrations of various n-alkanoic acids, intracellular PHA production was detected on all acids used. In most of the cases, the storage polymer contained beta-hydroxybutyrate (HB) and beta-hydroxyvalerate (HV) monomer units. Grown on n-alkanoic acids with a chain length of four carbon atoms and more, R. rubrum produced a copolymer containing the beta-hydroxyhexanoate (HC) repeating unit in addition to the HB and HV monomer. Using beta-hydroxyheptanoic acid as the carbon source, a polyester which contained HB, HV, HC, and beta-hydroxyheptanoate was formed. These copolyesters represent a novel class of biodegradable thermoplastics. The results demonstrate the metabolic flexibility of R. rubrum to form many different types of polyesters which might substitute plastics synthesized from petrochemicals.

Formation of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) by phototrophic and chemolithotrophic bacteria

The formation of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acid), PHA, by various strains of chemolithotrophic and phototrophic bacteria has been examined. Chemolithotrophic bacteria were grown aerobically under nitrogen-limiting conditions on various aliphatic organic acids. Phototrophic bacteria were grown anaerobically in the light on a nitrogen-rich medium and were subsequently transferred to a nitrogen-free medium containing acetate, propionate, valerate, heptanoate or octanoate as carbon source. All 41 strains investigated in this study were able to synthesize and accumulate PHA. All 11 strains of chemolithotrophic bacteria and all 15 strains belonging to the non-sulfur purple bacteria synthesized a polymer, which contained 3-hydroxy-valerate (3HV) beside 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), if the cells were cultivated in the presence of propionate, valerate or heptanoate. Many non-sulfur purple bacteria synthesized copolyesters of 3HB and 3HV even with acetate as carbon source. In contrast, most sulfur purple bacteria did not incorporate 3HV at all. Among 15 strains tested, only Chromatium vinosum strain 1611, C. purpuratum strain BN5500 and Lamprocystis roseopersicina strain 3112 were able to synthesize polyesters containing 3HV with propionate, valerate or heptanoate as carbon source.

Liquid crystal polymers with flexible spacers in the main chain

This review is be concerned primarily with the synthesis and properties of such polymers which show thermotropic behaviour.

Polyesters from Microorganisms

Bacterial polyesters have been found to have useful properties for applications as thermoplastics, elastomers, and adhesives and are biodegradable and biocompatible. Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) and poly(beta-malate) are the most representative polyesters synthesized by microorganisms. PHAs containing a wide variety of repeating units can be produced by bacteria, including those containing many types of pendant functional groups which can be synthesized by microorganisms that are grown on unnatural organic substrates. Poly(beta-malate) is of interest primarily for medical applications, especially for drug delivery systems. In this chapter, the bacterial production and properties of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) and poly(beta-malate) are described with emphasis on the former.

Conductivity anisotropy in oriented poly(p-Phenylene vinylene)

SummaryThe study of charge transport mechanisms in highly conjugated conducting polymers has historically been hampered by the complex and invariant morphologies of the best conductors. We have prepared amorphous and uniaxially oriented films of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) which exhibit a large conductivity anisotropy proportional to the degree of molecular orientation. The conductivity of the AsF5 doped PPV, together with wide angle x-ray and IR characterization of these samples is reported.

The microbial production of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) from tallow

Abstract The bacteria Pseudomonas oleovorans, P. resinovorans, P. putida, and P. citronellolis were evaluated for their ability to grow and produce poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) using tallow free fatty acids and tallow triglyceride as carbon substrates. Tallow free fatty acids supported cell growth and PHA production for all four organisms, yielding PHA contents of 18%, 15%, 19% and 3% of their cell dry weights for P. oleovorans, P.␣resinovorans, P. putida, and P. citronellolis respectively. Only P. resinovorans, however, was able to grow and produce PHA polymer, with cells attaining a PHA content of 15% of their cell dry weight, using unhydrolyzed tallow as the substrate. Extracts from 46-h cultures of P. resinovorans were found to have a higher esterase activity (12.80 units μl−1min−1) compared to the activities found for cultures of P. oleovorans, P. citronellolis, and P. putida ( < 0.03 units μl−1min−1). Polymer repeat-unit compositions were determined by GC analysis of the β-hydroxymethyl esters of hydrolyzed PHA, and ranged in carbon-chain lengths from C4 to C14, with some mono-unsaturation in the C12 and C14 side-chains. PHA compositions were similar for the polymers obtained from all four organisms, with repeat units of chain lengths C8 and C10 predominating.

Production of unsaturated polyesters by Pseudomonas oleovorans

Pseudomonas oleovorans was grown separately on 3-hydroxy-6-octenoic acid and 3-hydroxy-7-octenoic acid as the only carbon source and under ammonium nutrient-limiting conditions to produce storage polyesters. The polyesters produced contained mainly unsaturated C8 units. Small amounts of both the saturated and the unsaturated C6 units were also present, but only about 1% of the saturated 3-hydroxyoctanoate units was detected. The polyester obtained from 3-hydroxy-6-octenoic acid, which was a mixture of the cis and trans isomers, also contained units with cis and trans double bonds. The weight average molecular weights of the polymers produced were in the range of 339,000-383,000 as determined by g.p.c. relative to polystyrene, with Mw/Mn ratios of 1.8-2.1. The mechanism of PHA formation from n-octene previously reported is discussed in relation to the present results, and the two were found to be in good agreement.

Molecular orientation and conductivity in highly drawn poly(p-phenylene vinylene)

Abstract Films of poly( p -phenylene vinylene), PPV, have been prepared with various degrees of uniaxial orientation by thermal conversion and drawing of cast films of a precursor polymer. Molecular orientation was determined by X-ray diffraction and infrared dichroism as a function of the draw ratio. The crystallite size transverse to the stretch direction was also estimated by X-ray line broadening. Electrical conductivities of the PPV films, doped with AsF 5 , show a substantial enhancement in conductivity in the orientation. Conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the stretch direction decreases with increased orientation. These data may be understood in terms of the relative contributions of intrachain and interchain transport of the electronic charge carriers.

Optically active poly (\-malic-acid)

SummaryA simple and reproducible method of synthesizing enantiomers of benzyl malolactonate is described starting from optically active aspartic acid. Chiral benzyl malolactonate is a β-substituted β-lactone monomer which can be readily polymerized anionically using triethylamine as the initiator to yield poly(benzyl β-malate) which is an optically active, semicrystalline polymer. Cleavage of protecting benzyl ester groups yields optically active poly(β-malic acid). The properties of the racemic and optically active monomers and polymers are compared. Optically active (−)poly(β-malic acid) shows one accessible positive CD band in the far UV.