title: Structure formation of hydrophobically end-capped poly(ethylene oxide) in the solid state.
abstract: The conformational transition of hydrophobically end-capped poly(ethylene oxide), HP-PEO-HP [hydrophobic-poly(ethylene oxide)-hydrophobic], was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) methods. Conformational transitions of HP-PEO-HP from a planar zigzag to a 7/2 helical conformation were observed as the molecular weight of the PEO main chain increased. HP-PEO-HP 1(18), with a PEO molecular weight of 1000 and 18 hydrocarbons on each end, has mainly an alpha-helical structure in poor solvents, whereas alpha and beta conformations coexist in good solvents. This means that the alpha-helical structure caused by the hydrogen bonds between the urethane linkages was broken by the high chain mobility caused by the melted adjacent chains of PEO, and instead, the beta-sheet was formed by the interaction of multiple hydrogen bonds. Another indication of hydrogen bonds breaking at increasing temperature is the transition of the N-H stretching peak in the FTIR data. HP-PEO-HP 2(18) and 4(18), which have 18 hydrocarbons on each end and PEO molecular weights of 2000 and 4000, respectively, and consist mostly of PEO, showed spherulites. This result also suggests that the PEO molecule has a 7/2 zigzag helical conformation. In contrast, HP-PEO-HP 1(18), which is composed of less PEO than HP-PEO-HP 2(18) and 4(18), did not show a spherulite structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jaehyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Youngmi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyungbae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youngil
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Daewon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols