Successive RAFT polymerization of poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylates with different length of PEO chains giving diblock brush copolymers

Abstract

Synthesis of diblock brush copolymers by RAFT polymerization of poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylates with different length of PEO chains (PEOxMEMA, x=5, 9, 19, and 43) is reported. Polymerization products were characterized by SEC with tetra detection array (RI, LS, DP and UV) which enabled to get not only molecular characteristics but also estimate “livingness” of the polymers. Kinetics of polymerization of PEOxMEMA and characteristics of the polymers were dependent on the length of PEO chains but the differences were not large. Diblock brush copolymers synthesized by chain extension had higher dispersity compared to that of the homopolymers, and the copolymers with the longest PEO chains contained a fraction of the “died” chains. Synthesis of diblock brush copolymers by “one pot” RAFT polymerization was preferential over polymerization with isolation of the first block.