Yung P. Koh

Trimerization of monocyanate ester in nanopores.

The effects of nanoconfinement on the reaction kinetics and properties of a monocyanate ester and the resulting cyanurate trimer are studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). On the basis of both dynamic heating scans and isothermal reaction studies, the reaction rate is found to increase with decreasing nanopore size without a change in reaction mechanism. Both the monocyanate ester reactant and cyanurate product show reduced glass transition temperatures (T(g)s) as compared to the bulk; the T(g) depression increases with conversion and is more pronounced for the fully reacted product, suggesting that molecular stiffness influences the magnitude of nanoconfinement effects. Our results are consistent with the accelerated reaction and the T(g) depression found previously for the nanoconfined difunctional cyanate ester, supporting the supposition that intracyclization is not the origin of these effects.

Crystallization and vitrification of a cyanurate trimer in nanopores.

The effects of nanopore confinement on the crystallization and vitrification of a low molecular weight organic material, tris(4-cumylphenol)-1,3,5-triazine, are investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The material shows cold crystallization and subsequent melting in the bulk state. Under the nanoconfinement of controlled pore glasses (CPG), cold crystallization and melting shift to lower temperatures. Crystallization kinetics are hindered in nanoconfinement, and no crystallization occurs in 13 nm diameter pores over the course of a week. Using a traditional Avrami analysis, the restricted crystallization under nanopore confinement is quantified; for crystallization at 80 °C, the Avrami exponent decreases with decreasing pore size and the overall crystallization rate is approximately 30 times slower for material confined in 50 nm diameter pores than the bulk. When compared at the temperature at which the crystallization rate is a maximum, the Avrami exponent is higher in nanoconfined samples and the crystallization rate is approximately 10 times slower for material confined in 50 nm diameter pores. Under CPG nanoconfinement, the glass transition temperature also decreases and shows two values; interestingly, the T(g) values further decrease with increasing crystallinity.

Kinetic study of trimerization of monocyanate ester in nanopores.

A kinetic study of the trimerization of monocyanate ester both in the bulk and in the nanoconfinement of controlled pore glass is performed using differential scanning calorimetry. Both isothermal and dynamic experiments are analyzed. Although the activation energy for the reaction is the same within experimental error for the bulk and nanoconfined samples (approximately 21-23 kcal/mol), the reaction is accelerated under nanoconfinement by approximately 50 times in 13 nm pores compared with bulk.

The Glass Transition and Structural Recovery Using Flash DSC

Rapid scanning chip calorimetry is a very useful tool for studying the glass transition and the related enthalpy relaxation kinetics. In this chapter, we review the practical aspects of making fictive temperature and enthalpy recovery measurements, including for ultrathin samples. The cooling rate dependence of the glass transition is discussed, as well as the Tg depression for ultrathin polystyrene and polycarbonate samples. The advantages of the short instrument response time and high cooling rates can be particularly exploited for enthalpy recovery measurements, and these are discussed in detail.