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Production of Highly Monodisperse Polystyrene by Evaporative Purification

dc.contributor.authorZhu, Shipei
dc.date.accessioned2017-12-14T15:01:18Z
dc.date.available2017-12-14T15:01:18Z
dc.date.issued2017-12-14
dc.date.submitted2017-11-30
dc.description.abstractIn this thesis, I will demonstrate a simple evaporative purification method to separate a polydisperse polystyrene with small molecular weight into highly monodisperse components (N-mers) ranging from 3-mers to 13-mers. This method has been applied to polystyrene samples of Mw= 600 g/mol and Mw= 890 g/mol with narrow molecular weight distribution, as well as a polystyrene sample of Mw=1200 g/mol with broader molecular weight distribution. In each case, the samples were successfully separated into milligram (mg) quantities of N-mers with N ranging from 3 to 13. The vapor pressure of each N-mer is calculated by using a simple lattice model and calculations suggest the isolated components have Mw/Mn values less than 1.001 and, through a second iteration of the process, Mw/Mn could become as low as 1.000003. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of each separated component is characterized by the differential scanning calorimeter and the Tg values of these components are independent of the sample they originate from. Based on the Tg values of these pure components, the Fox equation for the Tg of mixtures is developed into a simple relation which is able to accurately quantify the Tg values from oligomer to polymer.en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/12723
dc.language.isoenen
dc.pendingfalse
dc.publisherUniversity of Waterlooen
dc.subjectPolymer physicsen
dc.subjectMonodisperse polymeren
dc.subjectGlass Transition Temperatureen
dc.subjectEvaporationen
dc.titleProduction of Highly Monodisperse Polystyrene by Evaporative Purificationen
dc.typeMaster Thesisen
uws-etd.degreeMaster of Scienceen
uws-etd.degree.departmentPhysics and Astronomyen
uws-etd.degree.disciplinePhysics (Nanotechnology)en
uws-etd.degree.grantorUniversity of Waterlooen
uws.comment.hiddenMany physical properties, such as glass transition temperature and solubility, are determined by the polymerization index. None of the present established polymerization methodologies can produce completely monodisperse polymers. This thesis describes a evaporative method which can produce almost purely monodisperse polystyrenes with the polymerization index as high as 13.en
uws.contributor.advisorForrest, James
uws.contributor.affiliation1Faculty of Scienceen
uws.peerReviewStatusUnrevieweden
uws.published.cityWaterlooen
uws.published.countryCanadaen
uws.published.provinceOntarioen
uws.scholarLevelGraduateen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten

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