Chapter 7 - Preparation and applications of fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomeric composites

Abstract

Fluoroalkanoyl peroxide [RF-C(O)-OO-(O)C-RF; RF = fluoroalkyl group] can produce the fluoroalkyl radical (RF•) through the concerted three-bond radical fission. This unique thermal decomposition behavior is applicable to the synthesis of two fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers [RF-(M)n-RF; M = traditional hydrocarbon radical polymerizable monomers; RF = fluoroalkyl groups] by the reactions of the corresponding monomers with fluoroalkanoyl peroxides. Two fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers exhibit a variety of unique properties such as high solubility, surface active properties, biological activities, and the nanometer-size controlled self-assembled molecular aggregates through the aggregation of terminal fluoroalkyl segments in aqueous and organic media. Numerous guest molecules such as inorganic nanoparticles and organic dyes can be effectively encapsulated into these aggregate cores to provide new fluorinated oligomeric composites, exhibiting unique characteristics that set them apart from the corresponding oligomers and original guest molecules.