One-step synthesis of triarm block copolymers by simultaneous atom transfer radical and ring-opening polymerization

Abstract

One-step synthesis of poly(MMA-b-CL) triarm block copolymers was carried out by atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactone (CL) using 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol trifunctional initiator. The triarm block copolymers comprising one poly-MMA arm and two poly-CL arms were synthesized by changing some polymerization conditions such as monomer/initiator concentration, polymerization time. The effect of the reactions conditions on the polydispersity and molecular weights was also investigated. The block lengths of the block copolymers were calculated by using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectrum. It was observed that the block length could be altered by varying the monomer and initiator concentrations. The characterization of the products was achieved by using 1H-NMR, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gel-permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and fractional precipitation techniques.