Polystyrene-block-poly(butyl acrylate) and polystyrene-block-poly[(butyl acrylate)-co-styrene] block copolymers prepared via controlled free-radical miniemulsion polymerization using degenerative iodine transfer

Abstract

Polystyrene-block-poly(butyl acrylate) and polystyrene-block-poly[(butyl acrylate)-co-styrene] block copolymers were prepared in an aqueous dispersed system via controlled free-radical miniemulsion polymerization using degenerative iodine transfer. The first step is batch miniemulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of C6F13I as transfer agent. The second step consists of the addition of butyl acrylate to this seed latex, either in one shot or continuously. The addition was started before the consumption of styrene was complete in order to perform a copolymerization reaction able to moderate the rate of propagation in the butyl acrylate polymerization step and, therefore, to favor the transfer reaction. Kinetics of polymerization and control of the molar masses were examined according to the experimental conditions and particularly to the rate of butyl acrylate addition. The formed block copolymers were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).