Trifluoroethanol Derivatization of Carboxylic Acid-containing Polymers for Quantitative XPS Analysis

✍ Scribed by Alexander, M. R.; Wright, P. V.; Ratner, B. D.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 375 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0142-2421
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199603)24:3<217::aid-sia103>3.0.co;2-l

✦ Synopsis

The carboxylic acid groups of poly(acry1ic acid) (PAA) and poly(methacry1ic acid) (PMAA) were derivatized in the solid state using a procedure resulting in esterification by trifluoroethanol vapour. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses indicate that stoichiometric reaction with PAA was reached after 10 h. However, PMAA did not attain a yield greater than 60%, an effect rationalized in terms of steric hindrance. It is postulated that steric restraints are imposed by conformational inflexibility related to the pendant methyl group within isatactic portions of the chain.