Vinyl Alcohol Units Research Articles

Design of sec-Benzyl Vinyl Ethers toward the Synthesis of Alternating Copolymers Composed of Vinyl Alcohol and Vinyl Ether Units.

In this work, we designed benzyl vinyl ethers carrying alkyl substituents at the benzyl position (i.e., sec-BnVEs) as bulky, reactive, and transformable monomers to realize the alternating cationic copolymerization with an alkyl vinyl ether (VE). In particular, the isopropyl substitution caused not only the bulkiness to suppress the successive propagation but also an enhancement of the vinyl group reactivity to promote crossover propagation with a less bulky VE comonomer. The isopropyl-substituted BnVE (iPr-BnVE) underwent living cationic alternating copolymerization with n-butyl VE (nBVE), and the alternating propagation was strongly suggested by the reactivity ratios. The subsequent deprotection of the sec-benzyl pendant afforded the vinyl alcohol (VA)-nBVE alternating copolymer, and the corresponding statistical copolymer was also synthesized by using the nonsubstituted monomer (BnVE) instead of iPr-BnVE. The alternating copolymer exhibited a higher glass transition temperature, which likely stems from the uniform and efficient hydrogen-bonding formation due to the periodic sequence.

Fabrication of pH-responsive poly(vinyl alcohol)-based microfibers crosslinked with copolymers containing benzoxaborole and carboxy groups

Water-insoluble pH-responsive poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based microfibers were prepared using terpolymer of poly ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (METAC)-co-methacrylic acid (MAAc)-co-5-methacrylamido-1,2-benzoxaborole (MAAmBO)) (TP) containing a quaternary ammonium cation, as well as carboxy and benzoxaborole groups. The surface of the microfibers could be positively charged by the permanent positive charge of the METAC units owing to the presence of the quaternary ammonium cation. The MAAc units formed a covalent bond with the hydroxy group of the vinyl alcohol unit by thermal treatment at 135 °C for 24 h, and the MAAmBO units formed a dynamic covalent bond with the diol group in PVA. After thermal crosslinking for 24 h, the PVA/TP microfibers exhibited almost 100% of the residual weight after immersion in water at 80 °C for 30 min. The diameters of the dried PVA/TP_25 wt% fibers were 21.4 ± 3.9 μm, and the swelling ratio was 1.65 ± 0.16 after immersing in water for 24 h. All microfibers showed a low degree of hemolysis (<5%). The PVA/TP_25 wt% fibers were strongly dyed with anionic acid red 1 (AR1) molecules at pH 3 and with cationic methylene blue (MB) molecules at pH 12, since the balance of the surface charge depend on the solution pH. These microfibers could be bundled and twisted to improve their mechanical properties; the required fracture energy after twisting was 2.30 ± 0.91 times higher than that before twisting.

Hollow-Fiber RO Membranes Fabricated via Adsorption of Low-Charge Poly(vinyl alcohol) Copolymers

We report a new type of alkaline-stable hollow-fiber reverse osmosis (RO) membrane with an outside-in configuration that was established via adsorption of positively charged poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers containing a small amount of quaternary ammonium moieties. Anionic sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone nitrile) hollow-fiber membranes were utilized as a substrate upon which the cationic copolymer layer was self-organized via electrostatic interaction. While the adsorption of the low-charge copolymer on the membrane support proceeded in a Layer-by-Layer (LbL) fashion, it was found that the adsorbed amount by one immersion step was enough to form a defect-free separation layer with a thickness of around 20 nm after cross-linking of vinyl alcohol units with glutaraldehyde. The resultant hollow-fiber membrane showed excellent desalination performances (NaCl rejection of 98.3% at 5 bar and 1500 mg/L), which is comparable with commercial low-pressure polyamide RO membranes, as well as good alkaline resistance. The separation performance could be restored by repeating the LbL treatment after alkaline degradation. Such features of LbL membranes may contribute to extending RO membrane lifetimes.

TGA coupled with FTIR gas analysis to quantify the vinyl alcohol unit content in ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer

Thermo-gravimetric analysis coupled to time/temperature-resolved FTIR spectroscopy of evolved gases was used to measure the vinyl alcohol units content in EVOH copolymer. Pure homopolymers were used as references. The quantitative analysis here proposed is based on the calculation of integral profiles relative to FTIR signals of water molecules evolved during the thermal degradation (pyrolysis) of vinyl alcohol units.

Effect of graphene nanoplatelets on the dielectric permittivity and segmental motions of electrospun poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) nanofibers

The influence of the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) on the intra/inter – molecular segmental motions of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) was assessed by means of dielectric thermal analysis (DETA). The relaxation spectra were studied in terms of the dielectric permittivity (ε′) and the dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) at wide ranges of frequency (from 10−2 to 107 Hz) and temperature (from -150 to 140 °C). Two relaxation zones were disthinguished. Below the glass transition temperature (Tg), two β-relaxations were observed, which are characteristic local modes of mobility of the EVOH side groups, and related to the influence of the different surroundings of ethylene or vinyl alcohol units. At higher temperatures, the dielectric α-relaxation in the vicinities of the glass transition of EVOH was determined. The thermal activation of the β-relaxations was explained by an Arrhenius model, and showed activation energies (Ea) around 55 and 80 kJ·mol−1. The α-relaxation was explained by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann-Hesse (VFTH) model. The study of the segmental dynamics showed an increase in the dynamic fragility parameters with the addition of GNPs. The permittivity was increased at preferential concentrations of GNPs. In particular, the addition of GNPs up to 0.5 wt% increased the dielectric permittivity of the electrospun EVOH/GNPs nanocomposite fibers, specially at low frequencies.

Chemical modification of functional copolymers

The possibility of chemical modification of thermally-stable functional copolymers of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with vinyl acetate of various compositions synthesized under conditions of free-radical polymerisation in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile was studied. Modification of the copolymers was carried out by alkaline hydrolysis; as a result, new copolymers containing vinyl triazole and vinyl alcohol units in the macromolecules were obtained. The structure, composition, physical and chemical properties of the copolymers were determined using elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. With an increase in the number of vinyl alcohol units in the copolymer from 25 to 87 mol %, a nearly twofold reduction in the intrinsic viscosity of the copolymers was observed. The copolymers, which exhibit dielectric properties, are characterised by electrical conductivity of the order of Ш 14-10-15 S/cm. According to thermogravimetric analysis data, the copolymers are resistant to thermooxidative degradation up to 270-290 °C depending on the composition. The introduction of a vinyl alcohol fragment into the structure of copolymer macromolecules contributed to the improvement of their fibre- and film-forming properties - that is, fibres and transparent elastic films with good adhesion to various metal surfaces can be formed from solutions of modified copolymers based on 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole.

Precision design of vinyl amine and vinyl alcohol-based copolymers via cobalt-mediated radical polymerization

Controlling the amount and the distribution of vinyl amine and vinyl alcohol units within a copolymer is attractive to modulate the properties of the parent major industrial homopolymers, i.e. poly(vinyl amine) and poly(vinyl alcohol).

Восстановительное аминирование полимиксином В1 сополимеров винилацетата с акролеином и комплексообразующие свойства конъюгатов

The reaction of reductive amination of vinyl acetate and acrolein copolymers by the cyclic polypeptide polymyxin B1 was investigated. The synthesis was carried out using copolymers with a molecular weight from 40 000 to 120 000 containing acrolein and vinyl alcohol units in amounts of up to 5-7 wt.% and 12 wt.%, respectively. The degree of peptide addition to the polymers is established to increase proportionally with a decrease in the molecular weight of the copolymers from 120 000 to 40 000 and an increase in the proportion of hydroxyl groups from 1 to 12 wt.%. The maximum degree of attachment was 7 wt.%. The (co)polymer-peptide conjugates are readily soluble in volatile organic solvents. During the solvent evaporation, thin transparent films are formed from their diluted alcohol or acetone solutions, firmly adhering to the surface of the glasses. A study of the biological properties (complexation) of a covalently bound peptide has shown the immobilisation of the conjugates on the glass surface without the effect on its interaction with bacterial lipopolysaccharides. The degree of extraction of lipopolysaccharides from biological fluid amounted to 80-90%. The modified polymers may be of interest as secondary reagents for a selective isolation and concentration of lipopolysaccharides from biological or technological media with a view of their subsequent study.

Poly(styrene/pentafluorostyrene)‐block‐poly(vinyl alcohol/vinylpyrrolidone) amphiphilic block copolymers for kinetic gas hydrate inhibitors: Synthesis, micellization behavior, and methane hydrate kinetic inhibition

ABSTRACTAmphiphilic block copolymers of short poly(styrene) (PS) or poly(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene) (PPFS) segments with comparatively longer poly(vinyl acetate) or poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) segments are synthesized using a 2‐cyanopropan‐2‐yl N‐methyl‐N‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)dithiocarbamate switchable reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent toward application as kinetic gas hydrate inhibitors (KHIs). Polymerization conditions are optimized to provide water‐soluble block copolymers by first polymerizing more activated monomers such as S and PFS to form a defined macro chain‐transfer agent (linear degree of polymerization with conversion, comparatively low dispersity) followed by chain extensions with less activated monomers VAc or VP by switching to the deprotonated form of the RAFT agent. The critical micelle concentrations of these amphiphilic block copolymers (after VAc unit hydrolysis to vinyl alcohol units) are measured using zeta surface potential measurements to estimate physical behavior once mixed with the hydrates. A PS‐poly(vinyl alcohol) block copolymer improved inhibition to 49% compared to the pure methane–water system with no KHIs. This inhibition was further reduced by 27% by substituting the PS with a more hydrophobic PPFS. A block copolymer of PS–PVP exhibited 20% greater inhibition than the PVP homopolymer and substituting PS with a more hydrophobic PPFS resulted in a 35% further decreased in methane KHI. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 2445–2457, 56, 2445–2457

Effect of chain structure on hydrogen bonding in vinyl acetate – vinyl alcohol copolymers

FTIR spectroscopy and semi-empirical AM1 method are used to study hydrogen bonding in multiblock and random equimolar copolymers of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol. An energetically beneficial zip-holder complex, built on multiple inter- and intrachain hydroxyl-hydroxyl bonds and an intrachain hydroxyl-acetyloxy bond, can be formed between two vinyl alcohol sequences. As a result, multiblock copolymers reveal stronger degree of association that affects crystallinity, as well as various rheological and relaxation properties discussed in the literature. Macromolecular complexes in random copolymers are weak and tend to be destroyed in the presence of residual DMF solvent and adsorbed water. Nevertheless, a rather stable interchain quaternary complex can be formed that includes vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate units and DMF and water molecules. For a single chain it is shown that an H-bond between neighboring vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate monomer units mostly engages a carbonyl oxygen atom of the vinyl acetate, if the vinyl alcohol belongs to a short (<5 units) sequence, and an ether oxygen atom in the other case. On the whole, the quantum chemistry calculations shed much light on the origin of distinctions in the copolymer FTIR spectra, which may seem subtle when considered standalone.

Impact of Polyelectrolyte Chemistry on the Thermodynamic Stability of Oppositely Charged Macromolecule/Surfactant Mixtures.

The complexation between hexadecyl- and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromides (CTAB and DTAB) with sodium poly[(vinyl alcohol)-co-(vinyl sulfate)] (PVAS) copolymer of low charge density has been investigated using pyrene fluorescence spectroscopy, electrophoretic mobility, turbidity, and dynamic light scattering measurements. The results indicate that the binding of the cationic surfactant occurs in three steps. At low surfactant concentrations, the cationic amphiphile binds to the vinyl sulfate groups. Above charge neutralization, surfactant binding may occur on the surface of the hydrophobic vinyl sulfate/CnTAB nanoassemblies. At even higher concentrations, the surfactant binds on the nonionic vinyl alcohol units of the polyion which reswells the PVAS/CnTAB complexes and makes them highly soluble in water. In earlier studies on oppositely charged ionic surfactants and homopolyelectrolytes the impact of mixing protocols was found remarkable, especially at surfactant excess, where these systems can be trapped in the charge stabilized colloidal dispersion state. In contrast, in the case of PVAS/CnTAB mixtures the effect of mixing is less pronounced and diminishes with increasing ionic strength or decreasing alkyl chain length of the surfactant. These findings are rationalized by taking into account the different binding mechanism of surfactants on oppositely charged homopolyelectrolytes and double hydrophilic copolymers.

Polyamide grafting onto ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer

Abstract Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH), with appropriate barriers and processability, can be chemically modified through vinyl alcohol units. Amides and polyamides based on condensation reactions of adipoyl chloride and hexamethylenediamine were grafted onto EVOH. Grafting was characterized by contact angle measurement, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Amide peaks at 3302 cm-1 corresponding to –NH bond stretching and the absorption of HN-CH2 at 7.8 ppm, were observed from ATR-FTIR and NMR, respectively, as a result of grafting. SEM showed the formation of amide structures as bundles, agglomerates and needle-like particles. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) showed considerable changes in onset of melt temperature, crystallinity and various transitions in grafted EVOH, showing an effective alteration in the physical properties compared with the virgin resin. Nylon grafted EVOH can be considered as a potential compatibilizer in polyethylene (PE)/polyamide blends via increasing interactions at the interface.

Thermal fractionation of vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers

Thermal fractionation via the method of successive self-nucleation and annealing was used for the first time to study the crystallinity of vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers with different random distributions of chain units. The lamella-thickness distribution was calculated through the Gibbs-Thomson equation. It was shown that, for all samples, the minimum lamella thickness is the same and corresponds to a block of no less than 15 vinyl alcohol units. On the basis of these data and with the use of the computer simulation of the polymer-analogous reaction via the Monte Carlo method, the block-length distribution in the crystalline phase was found. It was shown through a comparison of the lamella-thickness and block-length distributions that the maximum lamella thickness increases with the block length and vinyl alcohol content in the copolymer. In crystallites, blocks with lengths exceeding the maximum lamella thickness comprise a significant fraction. Thus, it is probable that these blocks form folds. The dependences of melting temperatures of crystalline lamellas on their thicknesses, as well as the dependences of the melting temperatures of copolymers not subjected to thermal fractionation on the chain-structure parameters, are adequately described by the Flory crystallization theory.

폴리비닐 부티랄에 붙힌 지르코늄 알콕시드 졸을 사용한 전기방사에서 지르코니아 나노섬유 제조와 광발광

A zirconia gel/polymer hybrid nanofiber was produced in a nonwoven fabric mode by electrospinning a sol derived from hydrolysis of zirconium butoxide with a polyvinyl butyral. Results indicated that the hydroxyl groups on the vinyl alcohol units in the backbone of the polymer were involved in the hydrolysis as well as grafting the hydrolyzed zirconium butoxide. In addition, use of acetic acid as a catalyst resulted in further hydrolysis and condensation in the sol, which led to the growth of -Zr-O-Zr- networks among the polymer chains. These networks gradually transformed into a crystalline zirconia structure upon heating. The as-spun fiber was smooth but partially wrinkled on the surface. The average fiber diameter was 690±110 ㎚. The fiber exhibited a strong but broad blue photoluminescence with its maximum intensity at a wavelength of ~410 ㎚ at room temperature. When the fiber was heat-treated at 400℃, the fiber diameter shrunk to 250±60 ㎚. Nanocrystals which belonged to a tetragonal zirconia phase and were ~5 ㎚ in size appeared. A strong white photoluminescence was observed in this fiber. This suggests that oxygen or carbon defects associated with the formation of the nanocrystals play a role in generating the photoluminescence. Further heating to 800℃ resulted in a monoclinic phase beginning to form In the heat-treated fibers, coloring occurred but varied depending on the heating temperature. Crystallization, coloring, and phase transition to the monoclinic structure influenced the photoluminescence. At 600℃, the fiber appeared to be fully crystallized to a tetragonal zirconia phase.

Chemical recycling of poly(vinyl chloride): Application of partially dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) for producing a chemically modified polymer

AbstractPoly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) pipes were chemically modified to produce a sulfonated polymer with dehydrochlorinated PVC samples as intermediates. Two intermediates were formed: (1) partially dehydrochlorinated PVC with long sequences of conjugated double bonds and (2) the product of the partial dehydrochlorination of PVC and the nucleophilic substitution of chlorine by hydroxyl groups. The IR spectra showed that the dehydrochlorinated samples were heterogeneous materials, showing different proportions of elimination products, hydroxyl substitution, and partial oxidation. Samples dehydrochlorinated with poly(ethylene glycol) with a molecular weight of 400 g/mol for 24 h and 15 min showed the highest sulfonation yield, which was related to the sulfonation mechanism occurring predominantly because of the presence of hydroxyl groups in a mixture of vinyl alcohol and vinyl chloride units. The sulfonation was confirmed by the presence of a medium‐intensity band at 1180 cm−1, assigned to sulfonic groups. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010

Poly(vinyl acetal)s containing electron-donor groups: Synthesis in homogeneous phase and their thermal properties

The condensation reaction of 1-Naphthaldehyde (NA), 9-Anthraldehyde (ANTA), 9-Ethyl-3-carbazolecarboxaldehyde (ECZA) with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to give poly(vinyl acetal)s (PVAcs) was studied in detail using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent for PVA and PVAcs. PVAcs having various degrees of acetalization were obtained. The acetalization reaction under a variety of conditions gave at best a poly[2-(1-naphthyl)-1,3-dioxan-4,6-diylmethylene] (PNA) with 78% acetalization, poly[2-(9-anthryl)-1,3-dioxan-4,6-diylmethylene] (PANTA) with 70% acetalization and poly[2-(9-ethyl-3-carbazolyl)-1,3-dioxan-4,6-diylmethylene] (PECZA) with 48% acetalization. The extent of modification of the polymers was determined by 1H NMR. PVAcs were characterised by IR spectroscopy and 1H and 13C NMR. The glass transition temperatures of PVAcs, determined by DSC, increased linearly as vinyl acetal units increased. Thermal degradation of PVAcs was studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry (TGA) under dynamic conditions in nitrogen. The content of hydroxyl groups had an effect on the thermal stability of PANTAs, the thermal stability of PANTAs decreased as vinyl alcohol units increased. The apparent activation energy of the decomposition was determined by the Kissinger and Flynn–Wall methods which agree well. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopic analysis of the degraded PVAcs showed evidence for elimination of hydroxyl and cyclic acetal groups and the formation of dienes.

Thermodynamic Characterization of Rare Earth Salts of Strong Polyacid Copolymers

Stoichiometric La3+, Ce3+, and Nd3+ salts of poly[(vinyl alcohol)-co-(vinyl sulfate)] (PVAS) copolymer polyacids have been studied in aqueous solution without added salt. All LnPVAS salts were entirely water-soluble in the composition and concentration range investigated. Ratios of the vinyl sulfate and vinyl alcohol units in the copolymers were between 1:5 and 1:107, leading to structural charge densities both above and under the critical value needed for counterion condensation of trivalent counterions. Solvent activity, a1, has been measured by the gel deswelling method in the concentration range of 5 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(-1) mol of counterion/kg of water (0.2-9 w/w% of the polyelectrolyte). Results are unusually high for polyelectrolytes (-2 x 10(-6) > ln a1 > -3 x 10(-4)), and they are comparable with values determined in solutions of uncharged polymers. Nevertheless, the different copolymers can be clearly distinguished; the water activity is lowered in the order of the vinyl sulfate content of the polyelectrolytes, except for the one above the critical charge density. No observable difference was caused in the thermodynamic properties by the different lanthanide counterions. Reduced osmotic pressure curves and Flory-Huggins pair interaction parameters have been calculated; both of them were used to estimate degrees of dissociation at zero as well as at finite concentrations. Degrees of dissociation are decreasing with increasing concentration or vinyl sulfate content of the copolymer. They take values between 8-36% at zero polymer concentration and they reach zero value simultaneously at approximately 1 x 10(-3) mol of polymer chains/kg of water. The average number of released counterions per polymer chain (DPn = 1005) approaches to a limit of about 4.4 with increasing vinyl sulfate content. This corresponds to average charge distances of b > or = 19 nm and charge density parameters of xi < or = 0.037. The latter is, however, a very low value and indicates a 1/9 contraction compared to the rod-like assumption.

Equation-of-state properties and surface tension of ethylene–vinyl alcohol random copolymers

Pressure–volume–temperature (PVT) data were studied for ethylene–vinyl alcohol random copolymers (EVOH) and served to determine bulk reduction parameters for the equation-of-state by Flory–Orwoll–Vrij. The compressibility factor as a function of copolymer composition displays positive deviation from additivity. Sessile drop method yielded surface tensions of EVOH melts at different temperatures. To a good approximation linear variation of surface tension with respect to copolymer composition was observed. It indicates that conformational restrictions prevent surface excess of the low-energy units. Results on surface tensions are discussed in terms of different theoretical approaches. It turns out that the parachor approach is in excellent agreement with experimental data. The corresponding state approximation revealed decreasing surface energy with ascending ethylene content whereas the surface entropy remains approximately constant as long as vinyl alcohol units are in excess.

Synthesis of poly(vinyl butyral)s in homogeneous phase and their thermal properties

AbstractThe condensation reaction of butyraldehyde (BA) with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to give poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) was studied in detail using N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent for PVA and PVBs. PVBs having various degrees of acetalization were obtained. The acetalization reaction under a variety of conditions gave at best a polymer with 97% acetalization. The extent of modification and the structure of the polymer, i.e., the ratio of acetal units from meso and racemic dyads of PVA, were determined by 1H‐NMR. The acetalization degree was reflected in the solubility of PVB; all products were soluble in NMP. PVBs were characterized by IR spectroscopy and 1H and 13C‐NMR. The glass transition temperatures of PVBs, determined by DSC, increased as vinyl alcohol units increased and displayed a positive departure from linearity. Thermal degradation of PVBs was studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry (TGA) under dynamic conditions in nitrogen. The content of hydroxyl groups had an effect on the thermal stability of PVBs; the thermal stability of PVBs decreased as vinyl alcohol units increased. The apparent activation energy of the decomposition was determined by the Kissinger and Flynn–Wall methods, which agree well. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 5007–5017, 2006

Catalytic and Optical Behavior of Polymer Embedded Metal Nanoparticles

AbstractVery small metal aggregates (nanoaggregates) embedded in an inert polymer matrix, which simply stabilizes the nanodispersion, show unique catalytic and optical behaviour.Indeed Ru‐nanoparticles in vinyl‐aromatic polymers or polyphosphazenes display an enhanced reactivity for hydrogenation of different groups, such as aromatic rings, keto and nitro groups, oximes and nitriles which are converted into the corresponding saturated derivatives under mild conditions.The optical properties of terthiophenethiol‐coated gold nanoparticles in UHMWPE (concentration lower than 4 wt.%) are characterized by poor dichroism due to their centrosymmetric structure. High dichroism (R = 30 at 400 nm, DR = 30) is on the contrary recorded for the terthiophene band showing the chromophores to be sensitive to mechanical orientation also when complexed with gold. On the other hand, nanocomposites based on polymers containing vinyl alcohol units and dispersed gold nanoparticles with average diameter ranging from 3 to 20 nm have been efficiently prepared by an UV photo‐reduction process. Uniaxial drawing of the irradiated Au/polymer nanocomposites favours the anisotropic distribution of packed assemblies of gold particles, providing oriented films with polarization‐dependent tunable optical properties.