Abstract
Synthesis of ‘uncontrolled’ commercially-relevant block copolymers by metal- and sulfur-free, bromoform-assisted polymerisation.
Highlights
In the quest for commercially relevant block copolymer additives, for which overall average molecular composition is key but molar mass distribution is of little importance, we present a straightforward, sulfur- and metal-free aqueous route to block copolymers using commercially available starting materials
Based on synthetic techniques first described in the 1950s for hydrophobic monomers in organic solvents, we have shown that bromoform (CHBr3) can be used to create block copolymers
This study demonstrates the potential for such a simple, inexpensive route to functional block copolymers where further research to decipher the detailed mechanism and true potential of this technique will be of great value
Summary
Bromoform-assisted aqueous free radical polymerisation: a simple, inexpensive route for the preparation of block copolymers†. Unlike common bromine-containing chain transfer agents such as carbon tetrabromide (CBr4), bromoform is partially water-miscible and relatively inexpensive We demonstrate this new aqueousbased technology using N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) as exemplar monomers to synthesise PDMA-b-PNIPAM block copolymers of varying composition directly in water. This purification step ensures that any subsequent polymerisation can only be initiated by the proposed PDMA-Br macro-initiator
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