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Carbocationic Polymerizations for Profit and Fun
Author(s) -
Peetz Ralf M.,
Kennedy Joseph P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200451116
Subject(s) - thermoplastic elastomer , isobutylene , elastomer , polymer science , materials science , copolymer , thermoplastic , coating , styrene , polymer chemistry , composite material , polymer
This presentation consists of two largely independent parts: The first åfor Profitα part concerns a bird's eye view of recently commercialized carbocationic processes and materials created by these processes in the author's laboratories whose marketing started during the past ∼5 years by various companies. These materials/processes include liquid telechelic polyisobutylene (PIB) for architectural sealants, poly(styrene‐ b ‐isobutylene‐ b ‐styrene) (PSt‐ b ‐PIB‐ b ‐PSt) triblocks for thermoplastic elastomers, PIB/PSt‐based blocks for coating of medical devices, and PIB‐based microemulsions for surface protection of painted metal surfaces. It is concluded that in order to enhance and solidify research in polymer synthesis it would behoove the scientific community to pay increased attention to intellectual property protection. Appropriately managed patenting and publishing activities are self‐reinforcing and may be quite profitable. The second “for Fun” part concerns a brief review of the design, synthesis and characterization of two novel fully aliphatic star‐block copolymers: ∅(PIB‐ b ‐PNBD) 3 and ∅(PNBD‐ b ‐PIB) 3 (where PNBD = polynorbornadiene). The constituent moieties of these star‐blocks are identical except their block sequences are reversed. Motivation for the synthesis of ∅(PIB‐ b ‐PNBD) 3 , consisting of a low Tg (∼‐73°C) PIB inner‐corona attached to a high Tg (∼320°C) PNBD outer corona, was the expectation that this star‐block would exhibit thermoplastic elastomer characteristics, and that it could be used in applications where similar polyaromatic‐based TPEs cannot be employed (e.g., magnetic signal storage). The other star‐block, ∅(PNBD‐ b ‐PIB) 3 , comprises the same building blocks with the PIB and PNBD sequences reversed. We found that the secondary chlorine at the PNBD chain end, in conjunction with TiCl 4 , is able to initiate the polymerization of isobutylene. Details of the carbocationic polymerization of NBD, together with the microstructure of PNBD, will be discussed.