A Study of the Deformation, Network, and Aging of Polyethylene Oxide Films by Infrared Spectroscopy and Calorimetric Measurements

The calorimetric and infrared (IR) spectroscopy measurements of polyethylene oxide (PEO) are used to evaluate the deformation and relaxation that films experience during a temperature cycle (30°C–90°C–30°C). After melting, the intensity of some bands decreases by 10 to 70%. During the temperature cycle, the C–O band in the 1100 cm−1 region and the C–C–O deformation bands at 650 and 500 cm−1 show some new features. A network of cooperative oxygen-hydrogen interactions between the PEO chains form in films with special history, namely, in thermally treated films, in thin films prepared from gel forming solutions, and in thick films after aging. The interchain interaction network is suggested from the IR absorption bands in the 1200 and 900 cm−1 region and also from small bands at 1144 and 956 cm−1. The network seems absent or reduced in thin films. IR spectroscopy appears a sensitive technique to study chain conformations in PEO films and in other materials where order, disorder, and the formation of intermolecular interactions coexist.

[1]  Y. Geng,et al.  Surface adsorption‐induced conformational ordering and crystallization of polyethylene oxide , 2010 .

[2]  G. Strobl.  The Physics of Polymers , 2009 .

[3]  F. Boué,et al.  Dilute poly(ethylene oxide) aqueous solutions in a turbulent flow. , 2007 .

[4]  I. Jedidi,et al.  Calorimetry in nonstandard conditions: The noncrystalline phases of linear polyethylene , 2007 .

[5]  P. Bernazzani,et al.  LLDPE’s grown with Metallocene and Ziegler–Natta catalysts: events in the melt and FTIR analysis , 2007 .

[6]  F. Gouanvé,et al.  A new technique to characterize mono-molecular micelles in random ethylene–propylene copolymers , 2005 .

[7]  Richard S. Graham,et al.  Neutron-Mapping Polymer Flow: Scattering, Flow Visualization, and Molecular Theory , 2003, Science.

[8]  B. Wolf,et al.  PEO/CHCl3. Crystallinity of the Polymer and Vapor Pressure of the Solvent. Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Phenomena , 2003, cond-mat/0304370.

[9]  Derek L. Ho,et al.  Clustering of poly(ethylene oxide) in water revisited , 2003 .

[10]  W. Loh,et al.  Entropically Driven Partitioning of Ethylene Oxide Oligomers and Polymers in Aqueous/ Organic Biphasic Systems , 2002 .

[11]  K. Dalnoki-Veress,et al.  Crystal growth rate in ultrathin films of poly(ethylene oxide) , 2001 .

[12]  C. Chapados,et al.  Phase change in amylose-water mixtures as seen by Fourier transform infrared. , 2001, Biopolymers.

[13]  M. Duval.  Monitoring of Cluster Formation and Elimination in PEO Solutions , 2000 .

[14]  C. Chapados,et al.  Double‐helical network in amylose as seen by slow calorimetry and FTIR , 2000 .

[15]  P. Bruce,et al.  Crystalline and Amorphous Phases in the Poly(ethylene oxide)−LiCF3SO3 System , 1999 .

[16]  L. Dao,et al.  FTIR ANALYSIS OF THE PHASE CONTENT IN LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE , 1998 .

[17]  M. Miles,et al.  AFM study of morphological development during the melt-crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) , 1998 .

[18]  G. R. Brown,et al.  The crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) in blends with neat and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) , 1998 .

[19]  X. Zhang,et al.  Information on the noncrystalline phase of nascent iPP given by slow calorimetry , 1997 .

[20]  T. G. M. Ven,et al.  Dilute Aqueous Poly(ethylene oxide) Solutions: Clusters and Single Molecules in Thermodynamic Equilibrium , 1996 .

[21]  A. Ajji,et al.  Orientation and structure of drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) , 1996 .

[22]  G. Charlet,et al.  Slow calorimetry and heat of fusion of poly(4-methyl pentene-1) , 1996 .

[23]  G. Delmas,et al.  Crystallization of Isotactic Poly(propylene) in Solution as Followed by Slow Calorimetry , 1995 .

[24]  G. Delmas,et al.  Information given by slow melting on phase content and maximum drawability of high molecular weight polyethylene films , 1994, Journal of Materials Science.

[25]  G. Delmas.  Irreversible formation of a network during melting/dissolution of nascent PE , 1993 .

[26]  P. Bruce,et al.  Crystal Structure of the Polymer Electrolyte Poly(ethylene oxide)3:LiCF3SO3 , 1993, Science.

[27]  G. Delmas,et al.  Thermal analysis and model of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene gels , 1992 .

[28]  G. Delmas,et al.  Arrested melting due to strain in ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene , 1992 .

[29]  J. M. Harris,et al.  Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Chemistry Biotechnical and Biomedical Applications , 1992 .

[30]  H. Matsuura,et al.  Vibrational analysis of molten poly(ethylene glycol) , 1969 .

[31]  T. Miyazawa,et al.  Molecular Vibrations and Structure of High Polymers. III. Polarized Infrared Spectra, Normal Vibrations, and Helical Conformation of Polyethylene Glycol , 1962 .