Darmau, B., Rymaruk, M.J., Warren, N.J. et al. (2 more authors) (2020) RAFT dispersion polymerization of benzyl methacrylate in non-polar media using hydrogenated polybutadiene as a steric stabilizer block. Polymer Chemistry, 11 (47). pp. 7533-7541. ISSN 1759-9954
Abstract
A monohydroxy-capped hydrogenated polybutadiene (PhBD) is converted into a macromolecular chain transfer agent via esterification using a carboxylic acid-functionalized trithiocarbonate. 1H NMR and UV spectroscopy studies indicated a mean degree of esterification of at least 95%. The resulting precursor is used for the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of benzyl methacrylate (BzMA) in n-dodecane at 90 °C. In principle, systematic variation of the mean degree of polymerization (DP) of the insoluble structure-directing PBzMA block should enable the formation of PhBD–PBzMA spheres, worms or vesicles via polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). In practice, only kinetically-trapped spheres are obtained when targeting DPs of up to 300 at 25% w/w solids. However, increasing the copolymer concentration up to 40% or 45% w/w provides access to well-defined worms or vesicles, respectively. Gel permeation chromatography and 1H NMR spectroscopy studies confirmed relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn < 1.20) and high final BzMA conversions (≥99%), respectively. These diblock copolymer nano-objects were characterized in terms of their particle size and morphology using TEM and DLS and a phase diagram was constructed. According to rheology studies, the free-standing worm gels that are formed at ambient temperature have a critical gelation concentration of approximately 5.0% w/w.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Chemistry (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/R003009/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 11 Dec 2020 14:58 |
Last Modified: | 02 Feb 2022 13:44 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1039/d0py01371d |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:168814 |