Grafting of n-Butyl Acrylate and N,N'-Dimethyl Acrylamide from Poly(divinylbenzene) Microspheres by RAFT Polymerization

Abstract

N,N´-Dimethyl acrylamide and n-butyl acrylate have been grafted from crosslinked poly(divinylbenzene) core microspheres by both reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and conventional free radical polymerization. The microspheres were prepared by precipitation polymerization utilizing 55 and 80 wt. % divinylbenzene (DVB), respectively. The RAFT agent cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB) was utilized and grafting was performed in toluene at 80°C with 2,2´-azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as thermal initiator. Particle weights increased up to 6% for poly(n-butyl acrylate) and up to 15% for poly(N,N´-dimethyl acrylamide). Grafting from poly(DVB-55) microspheres results in a higher particle weight increase than grafting from poly(DVB-80) microspheres while using the same RAFT agent concentrations. The particle weight increase is approximately higher by a factor of two. The grafted microspheres were characterized by attenuated total reflection (ATR) IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.