Premium
Synthesis of Branched Polymers under Continuous‐Flow Microprocess: An Improvement of the Control of Macromolecular Architectures
Author(s) -
Bally Florence,
Serra Christophe A.,
Brochon Cyril,
Hadziioannou Georges
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201100429
Subject(s) - branching (polymer chemistry) , microreactor , polymerization , polymer , macromolecule , polymer architecture , mixing (physics) , materials science , kinetics , chemistry , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Abstract Polymerization reactions can benefit from continuous‐flow microprocess in terms of kinetics control, reactants mixing or simply efficiency when high‐throughput screening experiments are carried out. In this work, we perform for the first time the synthesis of branched macromolecular architecture through a controlled/‘living' polymerization technique, in tubular microreactor. Just by tuning process parameters, such as flow rates of the reactants, we manage to generate a library of polymers with various macromolecular characteristics. Compared to conventional batch process, polymerization kinetics shows a faster initiation step and more interestingly an improved branching efficiency. Due to reduced diffusion pathway, a characteristic of microsystems, it is thus possible to reach branched polymers exhibiting a denser architecture, and potentially a higher functionality for later applications.