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Converting Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) into a Triple‐Responsive Polymer
Author(s) -
Hils Christian,
Fuchs Emma,
Eger Franziska,
Schöbel Judith,
Schmalz Holger
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.202000485
Subject(s) - methacrylamide , lower critical solution temperature , materials science , copolymer , methyl methacrylate , polymer , polymer chemistry , polymerization , upper critical solution temperature , methacrylate , surface modification , radical polymerization , chemical engineering , composite material , acrylamide , engineering
Multiresponsive polymers that can respond to several external stimuli are promising materials for a manifold of applications. Herein, a facile method for the synthesis of triple‐responsive (pH, temperature, CO 2 ) poly( N , N ‐diethylaminoethyl methacrylamide) by a post‐polymerization amidation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is presented. Combined with trivalent counterions ([Fe(CN) 6 ] 3− ) both an upper and lower critical solution temperature (UCST/LCST)‐type phase behavior can be realized at pH 8 and 9. PMMA and PMMA‐based block copolymers are readily accessible by living anionic and controlled radical polymerization techniques, which opens access to various responsive polymer architectures based on the developed functionalization method. This method can also be applied on melt‐processed bulk PMMA samples to introduce functional, responsive moieties at the PMMA surface.