Premium
Novel polymeric surfactants: Synthesis of semi‐branched, non‐ionic triblock copolymers using ATRP
Author(s) -
Truelsen Jens H.,
Kops Jørgen,
Batsberg Walther,
Armes Steven P.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3935(200210)203:14<2124::aid-macp2124>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - polymerization , polymer chemistry , bifunctional , copolymer , atom transfer radical polymerization , monomer , chemistry , amphiphile , polymer , organic chemistry , catalysis
This article reports the synthesis of novel amphiphilic triblock copolymers with a semi‐branched PLURONIC ®7 R structure by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in aqueous media. Poly(ethylene oxide)s (PEOs) with molecular weights 10 000 and 16 000 were end‐functionalized and used as bifunctional macroinitiators for the polymerization of oligo(propylene oxide) monomethacrylate by ATRP in a 1/3 v/v water/methanol mixture and in a 1/1 v/v water/1‐propanol mixture. Deviations from first‐order kinetics with respect to the monomer concentration were observed indicating that termination reactions were taking place. However, linear plots were obtained, when ln[ M ] 0 /[ M ] was plotted against time 2/3 as suggested by Fischer. The effect on the control of the polymerization by adding Cu(II)Br 2 to the polymerization medium has been investigated. When 10 mol‐% of Cu(II)Br 2 was substituted for Cu(I)Br, normal first‐order kinetics were observed. A large reduction in the rate of polymerization was observed for the polymerization initiated by bifunctional PEO10 000 initiator, but almost no reduction in the rate of polymerization was observed, when the bifunctional PEO16 000 initiator was used. When the polymerizations were conducted in 1/1 v/v water/1‐propanol, unexpectedly high rates of polymerization were observed.Synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers with a semi‐branched PLURONIC ® R architecture using ATRP.