Synthesis of gradient copolymers with simultaneously tailor-made chain composition distribution and glass transition temperature by semibatch ATRP: From modeling to application

Jacket temperature regulation allowing well-defined non-adiabatic lab-scale solution free radical polymerization of acrylates

Conventional batch solution free radical polymerization of n-butyl acrylate with thermal initiators such as AIBN is known to be strongly exothermic and influenced by highly activated side reactions such as backbiting and β-scission.

Forced gradient copolymerisation: a simplified approach for polymerisation-induced self-assembly

In this work, a novel and versatile gradient copolymerisation approach to simplify polymeric nanoparticle synthesis through polymerisation-induced self-assembly (PISA) is reported.

Electrochemical Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization in Miniemulsion with a Dual Catalytic System

An electrochemical approach was used to control atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of n-butyl acrylate (BA) in miniemulsion. Electropolymerization required a dual catalytic system, composed of an aqueous phase catalyst and an organic phase catalyst. This allowed shuttling the electrochemical stimulus from the working electrode (WE) to the continuous aqueous phase and to the dispersed monomer droplets. As aqueous phase catalysts, the hydrophilic Cu complexes with the ligands N,N-bis( 2-pyridylmethyl)-2-hydroxyethylamine (BPMEA), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), and tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) were tested. As organic phase catalysts, the hydrophobic complexes with the ligands bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-octadecylamine (BPMODA) and bis[2-(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl)-pyridylmethyl]octadecylamine (BPMODA*) were evaluated. Highest rates and best control of BA electropolymerization were obtained with the water-soluble Cu/BPMEA used in combination with the oil-soluble Cu/BPMODA*. The polymerization rate could be further enhanced by changing the potential applied at the WE. Differently from traditional ATRP systems, reactivity of the dual catalytic system did not depend on the redox potential of the catalysts but instead depended on the hydrophobicity and partition coefficient of the aqueous phase catalyst.

Progress in reactor engineering of controlled radical polymerization: a comprehensive review

Controlled radical polymerization (CRP) represents an important advancement in polymer chemistry. It allows synthesis of polymers with well-controlled chain microstructures.

Light-responsive smart surface with controllable wettability and excellent stability

Novel fluorinated gradient copolymer was designed for smart surface with light-responsive controllable wettability and excellent stability. The switchable mechanism and physicochemical characteristics of the as-prepared surface decorated by designed polymeric material were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrum, scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thanks to the functional film and surface roughening, etched silicon surface fabricated by copolymer involving spiropyran (Sp) moieties possesses a fairly large variation range of WCA (28.1°) and achieves the transformation between hydrophilicity (95.2° < 109.2°) and hydrophobicity (123.3° > 109.2°) relative to blank sample (109.2°). The synthetic strategy and developed smart surface offer a promising application in coating with controllable wettability, which bridge the gap between chemical structure and material properties.

Tailor-made compositional gradient copolymer by a many-shot RAFT emulsion polymerization method

A many-shot RAFT emulsion polymerization method to synthesize gradient copolymers with high molecular weight and a tailor-made compositional gradient.

Synchronized Tandem Catalysis of Living Radical Polymerization and Transesterification: Methacrylate Gradient Copolymers with Extremely Broad Glass Transition Temperature

Gradient copolymers with differential sequences linearly changing from methyl methacrylate (MMA) to dodecyl methacrylate (DMA) were efficiently synthesized by a concurrent tandem catalysis in the ruthenium-catalyzed living radical (co)polymerization coupled with the in situ transesterification of MMA with 1-dodecanol assisted by titanium isopropoxide [Ti(Oi-Pr)₄]. The key is to perfectly synchronize the two reactions throughout the tandem catalysis by using molecular sieves (MSs), which facilitates the MMA transesterification into DMA by removing the resulting methanol. The MMA/DMA gradient copolymers had an extremely broad glass transition temperature range (i.e., hardly detectable by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)), in sharp contrast to the random and the block counterparts of similar compositions.