Preparation of novel polymer materials through intermacromolecular complexation

This paper briefly reports the research work conducted in our laboratory in recent years on preparation of novel polymer materials through intermacrom olecular complexation. A new polymer solid electrolyte poly (methyl methacr ylate-methacrylic acid) [P(MMAMAA)]/poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO)/A(2)-LiClO4 was developed by employing both intermacromolecular complexation through h ydrogen bonding and plasticization, which has enhanced ambient ionic conduc tivity up to 8.31x10(-5) S cm(-1) and fairly good mechanical and film-formi ng properties, and has potential application in solid state batteries, elec trical displaying devices. A new polymer microcomposite poly (acrylonitrile -acrylamide-acrylic acid) [P(AN-AM-AA)]/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) reinforc ed by the twin molecular chain microfibrils formed through intermacromolecu lar complexation of P(AN-AM-AA) with PVA through hydrogen bonding was devel oped, which exhibits much better mechanical properties than its constituent s and could be used to manufacture PVA based complexed fibers with higher m odulus and better dyeability. Also, a new polymer flooding agent poly (acry lamide-acrylic acid) [P(AM-AA)]/poly (acrylamide-dimethyldiallylammonium ch loride) [P(AM-DMDAAC)] was developed by employing intermacromolecular compl exation of the oppositely charged polyions through Coulomb forces, which sh ows much higher viscosity and better resistance to temperature, shear rate and salt than its constituents, and has potential application in enhanced o il recovery. All these encouraging results demonstrate that as a supramolec ular strategy, intermacromolecular complexation really offers a new route t o tailor the specific architecture of polymers using macromolecules with co mplementary structure as building block and to develop novel polymer materi als with high performance. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserv ed.