1. Hydrophobic polymers: polydienens and hydrogenated polydienes, polystyrene

2. Hydrophilic polymers: PEO

3. Polydienes and hydrogenated polydienes, low in 1,4 microstructure

- Monomers: butadiene; isoprene; 2,3-dimethyl butadiene; 1,3-
hexadiene, myrcene (7-methyl-3-methylene-1,6octadiene)
- Mn = 10k - 15k
- Mw/Mn < 1.1
- 1,4 content: 1 - 50%
- some polymers OH terminated
- approximately 10g of each sample avaiable

The following synthesis facilities are available:

- High vacuum lines plus glassware to carry out reactions under high vacuum or inert gas. Materials can be synthesized in all-glass reactors (useful for highest purity conditions and long reaction times) or in Schlenktype reactors. The impurity (O2, H2O) level is below 10-4 mol in the reaction vessel (if necessary below 10-5 mol).
Reaction temperature: -80oC to +200oC.
Reactor volumes: 1mL to 2L.
Overpressure up to ca. 5 bars may be acceptable under certain conditions.

- Metal reactors for reactions under inert gas. The installation is attached to a vacuum line, volatile compounds can be distilled directly into the reactor. The impurity (O2, H2O) level is in the order of 10-3 to 10-4 mol in the reaction vessel.
Reaction temperature: -80oC to +120oC.
Reactor volumes: 0.5L and 2L.
Overpressure up to 60 bars.

- Metal reactor for hydrogenation reactions. The reactor can be filled under inert gas conditions.
Reaction temperature: RT to +150oC.
Reactor volumes: 1L.
Hydrogen pressure up to 100 bars.

- Glove box for filling procedures or syntheses if no volatile compounds are involved. Impurity level: O2 < 0.1ppm, H2O < 2 ppm.


The synthetic installations described above are useful for the following synthetic procedures and materials.

- Polymer synthesis under high purity conditions. There exists an expertise in anionic techniques in the lab. Tailor made polymers with respect to molecular weight, branching, block structures and narrow molecular weight distribution are available.
Molecular weighs: oligomers to > 106 g/mol.
Amounts: 1g to 100g scale.
Polymers: the expertise for the synthesis of polydienes, polystyrenes, polyalkylene oxides is available in the lab; also block copolymers and branched polymers. The installations can be used also to produce other polymers.

- Nonionic surfactants, especially ethoxylates and in general alkoxylates can be synthesized.
Amounts: 1g to 100g scale.
The expertise for the synthesis of alkoxylates is available in the lab.

- Hydrogenated polymers, especially narrowly distributed polyalkanes from polydienes.
Amounts: 1g to 30g scale.

- Deuterium labeled materials. Fully and partially labeled polymers and surfactants can be produced using the techniques described above.

The following polymer analysis instruments are available:

- GPC with online triple detection (dn/dc, viscosity, light scattering).
Solvent: THF, useful for non-polar to moderately polar polymers.
Temperature: RT
Molecular weight range: ca. 103 to 106 g/mol.

- GPC with dn/dc detection.
Solvent: THF/DMA, useful for moderately polar to polar polymers. Ionic
polymers cannot be examined.
Temperature: RT
Molecular weight range: ca. oligomers to 106 g/mol.

- Membrane osmometer for the determination of absolute molecular weights (Mn).
Useful for polymers soluble in toluene.
Molecular weight range: ca. 10,000 to 250,000 g/mol.

- Low angle light scattering instrument for the determination of absolute molecular weights (Mw).
Useful for all polymers and solvents. Polar polymers and solvents are difficult to measure.
Molecular weight range: ca. 104 to 106 g/mol.

Vacuum line	All-glass apparatus for poymer synthesis