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Thermal Characterization of “Comb‐Like” Block Copolymers Based on PCL Obtained by Combining ROP and RAFT Polymerizations
Author(s) -
Ninago Mario D.,
Ciolino Andrés E.,
Villar Marcelo A.,
De Freitas Augusto G.O.,
Muraro Paulo I.R.,
Giacomelli Cristiano
Publication year - 2016
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.201500144
Subject(s) - copolymer , thermogravimetric analysis , materials science , polymer chemistry , dispersity , chain transfer , differential scanning calorimetry , thermal stability , reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization , polymerization , ring opening polymerization , polycaprolactone , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , methacrylate , radical polymerization , chemical engineering , polymer , composite material , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Summary In this work we report the synthesis of poly(hydroxyethyl‐methacrylate‐ graft ‐polycaprolactone)‐ block ‐poly(caprolactone) copolymers, P(HEMA‐ g ‐PCL)‐ b ‐PCL, by combining ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerization (RAFT). The successful synthesis of the targeted “comb‐like” block copolymers obtained was confirmed by 1 H‐Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Size Exclusion Chromatography. Thermal behavior of the copolymers was studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and their thermal stability was investigated by modulated thermogravimetric analysis. In this sense, the “comb‐like” block copolymers exhibited controlled molar masses between 6,000 g/mol and 45,000 g/mol, and polydispersity indexes lower than 1.3. Besides, thermal analysis evidenced a noticeable reduction in the melting temperature compared with linear PCL homopolymer, as well as, in the activation energy for the degradation process.