京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第22470号 / 工博第4731号 / 新制||工||1739(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 大内 誠, 教授 秋吉 一成, 教授 竹中 幹人 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

Research of new sustainable and low cost materials, such as cellulose, is of high interest. Modifications of the cellulose can be performed in order to create a “smart” material which responds to external stimuli, such as variations in pH and temperature, by changing its properties. This “smart” behavior is observed in some polymers, however, for certain applications they exhibit poor mechanical properties. These polymers can be bound by physical adsorption to cellulose, both in macro and nano scale, creating an improved “smart” composite material. In this project, thermoresponsive block-copolymers with different lengths of poly (diethylene glycol) methacrylate (PDEGMA) and poly N-(2-dimethylamino ethyl) methacrylate (PDMAEMA) in only one length, PDMAEMA-b-PDEGMA, were synthesized employing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). 1H-NMR, SEC and DLS were used to characterize the block-copolymers. UV-Vis spectroscopy was employed to confirm the thermo-responsive behavior of the charged and uncharged block-copolymers, being lower for the higher molecular weight ones due to the higher polymer-polymer interactions. In a second step, PDMAEMA was charged positively by quaternization of its amine group with ICH3. Polyelectrolyte titration was used to determine the total number of charges in the quaternized block-copolymers. In addition, TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) was produced by procedures found in literature. Finally, adsorption of the cationic block-copolymers onto the anionic NFC in tris base at pH 8.3 was performed and purified by consecutive filtrations, creating a novel smart composite material with different PDEGMA lengths in the block-copolymer. FT-IR confirmed that the block-copolymers were successfully adsorbed to the NFC. TGA results showed a higher thermal stability for the composite than for the TEMPO-NFC and quaternized block-copolymers. The block-copolymer modified NFC exhibited thermoresponsive behavior with LCST’s ranging from 30 to 44 °C, from higher to lower molecular weights, respectively.  Adsorption of polyelectrolytes in modified cellulose could be a promising way to create smart improved materials in further research.

Poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer has the potential to form promising membrane materials for water purification due to the thermal stability and good solubility in aqueous solution and also for gas separation because of the presence of polar amide group along the polymer backbone. Moreover, their self-assembly into micelles renders them candidate materials as nanocarriers for drug delivery applications. In this study, a novel well-defined linear PEtOx-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer with a hydrophobic fluoropolymer, i.e., PVDF, have been successfully synthesized by implementing a synthesis methodology that involves the following four steps. In the first step, poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) was synthesized via living cationic ring-opening polymerization (LCROP) of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx) monomer. The “living” nature of LCROP allows the desirable termination to occur by using the proper termination agent, namely, water, to achieve the polymer with a terminal hydroxyl group, i.e., PEtOx-OH. The hydroxyl end group in PEtOx-OH was converted to PEtOx-Br using 2-bromopropionyl bromide via an esterification reaction. In the third step, the PEtOx-Br macro-CTA was subsequently reacted with potassium ethyl xanthate to insert the necessary RAFT agent via nucleophilic substitution reaction to obtain PEtOx-Xanthate. It s worth mentioning that this step is vital for the sequential addition of the second block via the RAFT polymerization reaction of fluorinated monomer, i.e., VDF, to finally obtain the well-defined amphiphilic diblock copolymer with variable controlled chain lengths. Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the structure of the macroinitiator and final copolymer, respectively. Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) determined the number-average molecular weight (Mn) and the polydispersity index (PDI) of the obtained copolymer. Furthermore, the polymorphism of the diblock copolymer characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) indicated that the copolymer displays the electroactive α-phase. The resultant amphiphilic diblock copolymer exhibits spherical micelles morphology, as confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Moreover, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) investigated the thermal decomposition behavior of the copolymer and determined the glass transition temperature (Tg ≈ 70 °C), melting temperature (Tm ≈ 160-170 °C), and crystallization temperature (Tc ≈ 135-143 °C) of the diblock copolymer, respectively.

This thesis focuses on the surface patterning by using nanoporous block copolymer (BCP) stamps. Polystyrene‐block‐poly(2‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P2VP) was used as model BCP. Nanoporous BCP stamps were fabricated by replication of lithographically patterned silicon molds. Nanopores inside of BCP stamps were generated by swelling‐induced pore formation. A method for scanner-based capillary stamping (SCS) with spongy nanoporous BCP stamps was developed. First, in the course of stamps design using replication molding of PS-b-P2VP against surface-modified macroporous silicon molds, PS-b-P2VP fiber rings remaining on the macroporous silicon molds were obtained that allow immobilization of water drops on the hydrophobically modified surfaces of the macroporous silicon molds. Water drops immobilized by these rings can be prevented from dewetting within the PS‐b‐P2VP fiber rings. Second, after spongy nanoporous PS-b-P2VP stamps had been obtained, preliminary experiments with non-inked PS-b-P2VP stamps revealed that parts of the stamps’ contact elements can be lithographically transferred onto counterpart surfaces. As a result, arrays of nanostructured submicron PS‐b‐P2VP dots with heights of ∼100 nm onto silicon wafers and glass slides were produced. Lastly, the SCS technique was developed, which overcomes the limitation of time-consuming re-inking procedures associated with classical soft lithography including microcontact printing (µCP) and polymer pen lithography (PPL) with solid stamps, as well as the limitations regarding throughput of scanning probe‐based serial writing approaches such as nanoscale dispensing (NADIS) and other micropipetting techniques. In addition, sizes of stamped droplets can be controlled by adjusting surface wettability and dwell time.

The purpose of this work was the synthesis of functional amphiphilic gradient copolymers by means of controlled radical polymerizations, more precisely Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization. Two different monomer combinations, tert- and n-butyl methacrylate and tert-butyl and benzyl methacrylate, were copolymerized. In a first step seven different linear statistical copolymers were synthesized by means of batch polymerization. They were used as comparative material and the analysis of the reaction kinetic yielded the effective rate constants and the copolymerization parameters of the monomers in the particular monomer systems. Furthermore required for gradient polymer syntheses AB-di-block copolymers were synthesized as a second kind of comparative material. With the results of the kinetic analysis the monomer addition programs for the semibatch polymerizations were calculated to prepare gradient copolymers. Four different gradient copolymers with different compositions of tBMA and nBMA (ftBMA= 0.5, 0.65, 0.75, 0.85) and one gradient copolymer of tBMA and BzMA (ftBMA= 0.5) were synthesized. All semibatch reactions proceeded controlled, i. e. with mostly suppressed termination reactions. The compositions of the resulting copolymers exhibited ''double-gradients''. The point of change of the compositions were located at 16%, respectively 11% of conversion. The effective compositional gradients φ = dF1/dp were φ = 0.53, 0.46, 0.28, 0.15 and 0.43. A systematic correlation between the thermal behavior of the gradient copolymers and their composition was not found, as opposed to the statistical and the di-block copolymers. Semibatch synthesis with online infrared-spectroscopy observation to control the monomer feed during the synthesis were used for the polymerization of gradient copolymers. It was not possible to calculate the change of compositions of the polymers because it was not known how much monomer was injected at a certain time of the polymerization. A second problem was that the experimental set-up was not gas-tight. Hence, oxygen led to termination reactions. Three different kinds of hydrolysis were investigated for the cleavage of the tert-butyl groups on the polymer chains. The obtained gradient copolymers were hydrolyzed with methanesulfonic acid to obtain the intended amphiphilic polymer chains. All reactions proceeded with quantitative conversion. Hence, functional amphiphilic copolymers were obtained.

Tesis por compendio / This PhD dissertation thesis has been focus on the development and characterization of antimicrobial packaging films based on the incorporation in the polymer matrix or on the attachment to the film surface of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds with the purpose of inhibiting the proliferation of microorganisms and extend the microbiological shelf life of packaged food products. The studied active films are based on the use of ethylene vinyl copolymers (EVOH) containing 29% (EVOH29) or 44% (EVOH44) molar percentage of ethylene as polymeric vehicle for the incorporation of several antimicrobial compounds -oregano essential oil (OEO), citral, ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE), epsilon-polylysine (EPL), green tea extract (GTE) and lysozyme. These antimicrobial agents have been incorporated in the film-forming solution or immobilized to the film surface by covalent bonding. Prior to the preparation of the active films, the antimicrobial activity of the selected compounds against selected microorganism was demonstrated, confirming that they could be good candidates to be used as preservatives for active food packaging applications, and an alternative to synthetic additives. The effect of the incorporation of the antimicrobial agents on relevant functional properties of the developed EVOH films was studied. In general, the polymer properties as materials for food packaging were not relevantly affected. In order to evaluate the potential of EVOH matrices as sustain release systems of active compounds, the release kinetics of the active compounds from the film to different media was evaluated; for that the agent release rate and extend into food simulants was monitored, and it was concluded that the agent concentration, release temperature, type of EVOH, interaction of EVOH with the food simulant, and the solubility of the active compound in the release media were the main controlling factors. EVOH matrices have also shown good properties to be used for the attachment of active molecules. In this regard, lysozyme was successfully immobilized on the film surface of EVOH. Several experiments were conducted to determine the antimicrobial properties of the resulting films in vitro against different microorganisms responsible for foodborne illness and in vivo with real foods –minimally-process salad, infant milk, surimi sticks and chicken stock- to enhance their preservation. All the materials presented a strong in vitro antimicrobial activity. Although the results obtained through in vivo tests showed activity reductions caused by food matrix effects, all materials presented significant microbial inhibition and, therefore, great potential to be used in the design of active food packaging. They can be applied as an inner coating of the packaging structure, releasing the active agent or acting by direct contact, producing a great protection against contamination with a prolongation of the microbiological food shelf life. / Muriel Galet, V. (2015). Novel antimicrobial films based on ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers for food packaging application [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/48522 / TESIS / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales / Compendio

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第18518号 / 工博第3910号 / 新制||工||1600(附属図書館) / 31404 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 澤本 光男, 教授 伊藤 紳三郎, 教授 中條 善樹 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第19742号 / 工博第4197号 / 新制||工||1647(附属図書館) / 32778 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 吉崎 武尚, 教授 古賀 毅, 准教授 竹中 幹人 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第19748号 / 工博第4203号 / 新制||工||1648(附属図書館) / 32784 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 辻井 敬亘, 教授 山子 茂, 教授 渡辺 宏 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第20404号 / 工博第4341号 / 新制||工||1673(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科高分子化学専攻 / (主査)教授 澤本 光男, 教授 中條 善樹, 教授 竹中 幹人 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM