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Well‐Defined High‐Molecular‐Weight Polyacrylonitrile Formation via Visible‐Light‐Induced Metal‐Free Radical Polymerization
Author(s) -
Niu Tengfei,
Jiang Jiayu,
Li Siyuan,
Ni Bangqing,
Liu Xuemin,
Chen Mingqing
Publication year - 2017
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/macp.201700169
Subject(s) - dispersity , polyacrylonitrile , atom transfer radical polymerization , polymer chemistry , polymerization , chemistry , molar mass distribution , gel permeation chromatography , radical polymerization , chain transfer , copolymer , multiangle light scattering , photochemistry , living free radical polymerization , light scattering , organic chemistry , polymer , scattering , physics , optics
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with high molecular weight and low dispersity is successfully synthesized by visible‐light‐induced metal‐free radical polymerization at room temperature. This polymerization technique uses organic dye Eosin Y as photocatalyst and benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborates as initiator. Gel permeation chromatography‐multiangle laser light scattering shows the absolute molar weight of the PAN more than 1.50 × 10 5 g mol −1 with a polydispersity index < 1.3 while MALDI‐TOF MS and 19 F NMR spectroscopy indicate the F‐chain‐end process. The first‐order kinetic behavior, molecular weight distributions shifting, and “ON/OFF” experiment results suggest this reaction may follow the atom‐transfer‐like radical polymerization mechanism. In addition, this new approach allows for the efficient synthesis of well‐defined random copolymers.