Ed's Update on 2/6 - 6/6

Accomplishment fron 2/6 - 6/6

1) Preparation and Drying of EPC 6 & 7 on 2/6, EPC 8 & 9 on 3/6

Composition of EPC6 - 2g PEG, 2g PPG, 0.05gPCL
Composition of EPC 7 - 2g PEG, 2g PPG, 0.1g PCL
Composition of EPC8 - 2g PEG, 2g PPG, 0.15g PCL
Composition of EPC9 - 2g PEG, 2g PPG, 0.2g PCL

After preparing for EPC 6 and 7, the drying process is being set up, 1,2 dichloroethane is being refluxed to remove all traces of water so that it will be anhydrous.
Under a vacuumed environment and a temperature of 100 degree Celsius is being applied, the drying process is being run for 24 hours.


2) Starting the reaction of EPC 6 and 7 on 3/6 and EPC 8 and 9 on 4/6

After 24 hrs of drying, the temperature is lower from 100 to 70 degree Celsius. The vacuum pump is being replaced by Nitrogen gas inlet tube to supply nitrogen gas into the reaction. To start the reaction, wait till the round bottem flask is cool before adding 200ml of anhydrous 1,2 dichloroethane to remove any traces of water.
Then HMDI, a coupling agent is added together with 2 drops of catalyst dibutyltin diaurate to stimulate reaction. The reaction process is being runned for 2 days, in between reaction, 1,2 dichloroethane is being added to prevent cross linkage of polymer.


--Precipitation and Extraction of EPC 6 and 7, Precipitation of EPC 8 and 9

After 2 days of reaction, the nitrogen gas supply is being stopped and adaptor removed from round botte flask. The polymer is being extracted and slowly released into 500mL of Diethyl ether. Note: Release slowly to prevent polymer from sticking to the sides in the bottle. The polymer is left to be stirred for 1 day.
Extraction of polymer began when diethylether is being decanted out and the polymer dried using air. Then the polymer is dissolved in chlorofoam. The polymer is being collected when the chlorofoam is left to be vaporized.

3) Preparation for CMC test from 3/6 to 6/6

--Preparation of dye for CMC test

DPH or 1,6 diphenyl, 1,3,5 hexatriene is used as a dye for identification of Micelles under UV-vis spectrophotometer. 1.4mg of DPH is being dissolved in 10mL of methanol at 50 degree celsius. The dye is being stored in fridge for 1 day before usage.

-- Preparation of sample for CMC test

40mg of polymer sample is being dissolved in 4mL of DI water at 50 degree celsius and fridged for 1 day

On 4/6, the sample is being taken out and 2ml of sample is being diluted with 2ml of DI water and shaked well. Subsequencely, the sample undergo te same process to acheive a 9 times dilution. Then, 80uL of DPH dye is being added to every dilution and being stored in fridge of another day. EPC16 and EPC 17 is being tested.


---CMC test from 5/6 to 6/6

The samples is then used by putting through the UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
Process of CMC test to be updated

• NMR lessons on 4/6 : to be updated
• GPC lessons and hands on : theory and steps to be updated
• Overview of Project to be updated