Summary: Poly(ethylene oxide)s containing decylthiomethyl (DTP), decylsulfonylmethyl (DSP), methyl‐oligo(ethylene oxide) thiomethyl (MnOTP), methyl‐oligo(ethylene oxide) sulfonylmethyl (MnOSP), decyl‐oligo(ethylene oxide) thiomethyl (DnOTP), and decyl‐oligo(ethylene oxide) sulfonylmethyl (DnOSP) groups in the side‐chains, where n (the number of ethylene oxide units) = 1, 2, 3, or 4 for DnOTP and DnOSP, and n = 2, 3, or 7 for MnOTP and MnOSP, were synthesized to study the effect of the structure of the side‐chains on the ordered phases of the polymers. All of the MnOSPs, as well as M2OTP and M3OTP, were found to be amorphous polymers. DTP, M7OTP, D1OTP, D2OTP, and D3OTP showed crystalline phases below their isotropic temperatures. DSP, D1OSP, D2OSP, D3OSP, D4OSP, and D4OTP were found to be liquid crystalline. Therefore, the phase separation facilitated by the introduction of the sulfone group and/or by the addition of the longer ethylene oxide units between the ethylene oxide backbones and the hydrophobic decyl tails was found to be a key factor in the formation of the liquid crystalline phases. These ordered phases were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction.Schematic illustration of the structures of poly(ethylene oxide) brushes showing liquid crystalline phases.imageSchematic illustration of the structures of poly(ethylene oxide) brushes showing liquid crystalline phases.
Summary: We prepared an amphiphilic, comb‐like poly(oxyethylene) containing decyl‐tri(oxyethylene) amphiphiles in the side chain using a polymer analogous reaction to obtain a novel nonionic amphiphilic polymeric system with high molecular weight. The amphiphilic comb‐like poly(oxyethylene) itself only showed a side‐chain crystalline phase below its melting temperature of −31 °C. When the polymer was mixed with lithium perchlorate, a smectic liquid‐crystalline phase appeared. The ordered phases of the polymer and the polymer mixture were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction.POM image (200 X) of D3OTP1 at room temperature.imagePOM image (200 X) of D3OTP1 at room temperature.
Cover: The picture on the cover presents surface-grafted polystyrene (PS) beads with comblike poly(methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains. The resulting PSsg-PEG beads consist of a PS core and a flexible PEG shell layer and show good swelling properties in various solvents ranging from toluene to water. The grafted hydrophilic PEG chains on the surface of the PS beads overcome the limitations posed by hydrophobic PS beads, such as non-specific protein adsorption.Further details can be found in the Full Paper by
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