RAFT dispersion polymerization in silicone oil

A near-monodisperse monohydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS; mean degree of polymerization = 66) was esterified using a carboxylic acid-functionalized trithiocarbonate to yield a PDMS 66 precursor with a mean degree of functionality of 92 ± 5% as determined by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. This PDMS 66 precursor was then chain-extended in turn using eight different methacrylic monomers in a low-viscosity silicone oil (decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, D5). Depending on the monomer type, such syntheses proceeded via either RAFT dispersion polymerization or RAFT emulsion polymerization. In each case the target DP of the core-forming block was fixed at 200, and the copolymer concentration was 25% w/w. Transmission electron microscopy studies indicated that kinetically trapped spheres were obtained in almost all cases. The only exception was 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA), which enabled access to spheres, worms, or vesicles. This striking difference is attributed to the relatively low glass transition temperature for this latter block. A phase diagram was constructed for a series of PDMS 66 -PDMA x nano-objects by systematically increasing the PDMA target DP from 20 to 220 and varying the copolymer concentration between 10 and 30% w/w. Higher copolymer concentrations were required to access a pure worm phase, while only spheres, vesicles, or mixed phases were accessible at lower copolymer concentrations. Gel permeation chromatography studies indicated a linear evolution of number-average molecular weight (M n ) with PDMA DP while dispersities remained below 1.40, suggesting relatively well-controlled RAFT polymerizations. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to characterize selected examples of spheres, worms, and vesicles. PDMS 66 -PDMA 100-112 worms synthesized at 25-30% w/w formed free-standing gels at 20 °C. Oscillatory rheology studies performed on a 30% w/w PDMS 66 -PDMA 105 worm dispersion indicated a storage modulus (gel strength) of 1057 Pa and a critical gelation concentration (CGC) of approximately 12% w/w. Finally, PDMS 66 -PDMA x worms could also be prepared in n-dodecane, hexamethyldisiloxane, or octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane. Rotational rheometry studies indicate that such worms are efficient viscosity modifiers for these nonpolar oils.