Studies of polymer aging and polymer reactions by ramon spectroscopy : far-infrared spectra and potential energy surfaces of tetrahydrofuran-3-one /

Vibrational spectroscopy has been used for studying polymer

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lee, Soono
Format: Thesis Book
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1997.
Subjects:
Online Access:http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=736580431&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Description
Summary:Vibrational spectroscopy has been used for studying polymer
materials and a small ring molecule. Raman spectroscopy was
used for understanding subtle conformational changes of the
bisphenol-A polycarbonate (BPAPC) polymer and to follow the
reaction of trifluorovinyl ether monomers. Potential energy
surfaces governing the conformational changes of
tetrahydrofuran-3-one (THFO) were determined using far-
infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence data. Raman difference
spectroscopy (RDS) was used to measure small frequency shifts
in the Raman frequencies of BPAPC when subjected to
elongation or thermal aging. While only minor shifts were
observed upon thermal treatment, the elongation resulted in
several frequency shifts of -2.5 cm-' for the C-0 stretching
at 1235 cm-' and of -0.78 cm-1' for the CH out-of-plane wag
at 885 cm-'. This work demonstrates that conformational
processes can be monitored using RDS and provides an
indication of the types of process occurring. Raman
spectroscopy was utilized for the kinetic analysis of the
trifluorovinyl ether cylopolymerization to
perfluorocyclobutane (PFCB) thermosets. The Raman band due
to the C=C stretching at 1831 cm-' was used to monitor the
extent of cure and the phenyl ring band at 1605 cm-' was
utilized as the internal standard. The order of the reaction
was determined to be 2.0 and the rate constants were obtained
at various temperatures (130, 150, 170, 190 and 2101 C). The
activation energy for the reaction was determined to be 24.6
kcal/mol. The far-infrared spectra of THFO show ring-bending
(100 - 120 c@1), twisting (227 - 237 cm-'), difference (115
- 137 cm-1) and overtone (200 - 225 cm-') bands. A two-
dimensional potential energy surface for the twisting and
bending in the electronic ground state was determined and
correspond to twisted conformations with twist angles of
2︢7'. No saddle points corresponding to bent structures are
present for the surface. A potential energy surface for the
Sl(n, pie) excited state, based on previous fluorescence
excitation data, was calculated. The latter has an assumed
barrier to planarity of 1400 cm-' and a barrier to
pseudorotation of 880 cm-'.
Item Description:Vita.
"Major Subject: Chemistry".
Physical Description:xi, 93 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references: pages 88-92.