Solid-state 19F MAS NMR study on the conformation and molecular mobility of poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene).

The temperature dependence of molecular mobility and conformational changes of poly(chlorotrifluoro- ethylene) (PCTFE) have been investigated by solid-state (19)F magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy. The pulse techniques of dipolar-filter and T(1rho)-filter allow selective observation of the amorphous and crystalline domains, respectively. The temperature dependence of T(1rho) (F) revealed that the segmental motion in the amorphous domain becomes vigorous above ca 80 degrees C, which is well above the glass transition (T(g)) temperature (52 degrees C) and more close to the beta-relaxation temperature (95 degrees C).

Conformation analysis and molecular mobility of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene copolymer using solid-state 19F MAS and 1H --> 19F CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy.

The changes in the conformation and molecular mobility accompanied by a phase transition in the crystalline domain were analyzed for ethylene (E) and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymer, ETFE, using variable-temperature (VT) solid-state 19F magic angle spinning (MAS) and 1H --> 19F cross-polarization (CP)/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The shifts of the signals for fluorines in TFE units to higher frequency and the continuing decrease and increase in the T1rho(F) values suggest that conformational exchange motions exist in the crystalline domain between 42 and 145 degrees C. Quantum chemical calculations of magnetic shielding constants showed that the high-frequency shift of TFE units should be induced by trans to gauche conformational changes at the CH2-CF2 linkage in the E-TFE unit.