Inverse Design of Molecular Weight Distribution in Controlled Polymerization via a One-Pot Reaction Strategy

A possible strategy for generating polymer chains with an entanglement-free structure

We propose a possible strategy that may experimentally generate long polymeric chains with an entanglement-free structure. The basic idea is designing the conditions to restrict polymer chains from growing along the surface with an obviously concave curvature. This strategy is proved to effectively reduce the chance of forming both inter- and intra-molecular entanglements, which is quite similar to the self-avoiding random walking of chains on a two dimensional plane. We believe that this kind of chain growth strategy may supply a kind of possible explanation on the formation of the entanglement-free structure of chromosomes, which also have tremendously large molecular weight. Besides, this study also guides experimentalists on synthesizing specific entanglement-free functional polymeric or biological materials.

Tuning Ligand Concentration in Cu(0)-RDRP: A Simple Approach to Control Polymer Dispersity

Cu(0)-reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) is a versatile polymerization tool, providing rapid access to well-defined polymers while utilizing mild reaction conditions and low catalyst loadings. However, thus far, this method has not been applied to tailor dispersity, a key parameter that determines the physical properties and applications of polymeric materials. Here, we report a simple to perform method, whereby Cu(0)-RDRP can systematically control polymer dispersity (Đ = 1.07-1.72), while maintaining monomodal molecular weight distributions. By varying the ligand concentration, we could effectively regulate the rates of initiation and deactivation, resulting in polymers of various dispersities. Importantly, both low and high dispersity PMA possess high end-group fidelity, as evidenced by MALDI-ToF-MS, allowing for a range of block copolymers to be prepared with different dispersity configurations. The scope of our method can also be extended to include inexpensive ligands (i.e., PMDETA), which also facilitated the polymerization of lower propagation rate constant monomers (i.e., styrene) and the in situ synthesis of block copolymers. This work significantly expands the toolbox of RDRP methods for tailoring dispersity in polymeric materials.

Precise Control of Both Dispersity and Molecular Weight Distribution Shape by Polymer Blending

The breadth and the shape of molecular weight distributions can significantly influence fundamental polymer properties that are critical for various applications. However, current approaches require the extensive synthesis of multiple polymers, are limited in dispersity precision and are typically incapable of simultaneously controlling both the dispersity and the shape of molecular weight distributions. Here we report a simplified approach, whereby on mixing two polymers (one of high Đ and one of low Đ), any intermediate dispersity value can be obtained (e.g. from 1.08 to 1.84). Unrivalled precision is achieved, with dispersity values obtained to even the nearest 0.01 (e.g. 1.37→1.38→1.39→1.40→1.41→1.42→1.43→1.44→1.45), while maintaining fairly monomodal molecular weight distributions. This approach was also employed to control the shape of molecular weight distributions and to obtain diblock copolymers with high dispersity accuracy. The straightforward nature of our methodology alongside its compatibility with a wide range of polymerisation protocols (e.g. ATRP, RAFT), significantly expands the toolbox of tailored polymeric materials and makes them accessible to all researchers.

Temporal Control over Two- and Three-State Living Coordinative Chain Transfer Polymerization for Modulating the Molecular Weight Distribution Profile of Polyolefins

A highly versatile new strategy for manipulating the molecular weight profiles, including breadth, asymmetry (skewness) and modal nature (mono-, bi-, and multimodal), of a variety of different polyolefins is reported. It involves temporal control over two- and three-state living coordinative chain transfer polymerization (LCCTP) of olefins in a programmable way. By changing the identity of the R' groups of the chain transfer agent, ER'_n , with time, different populations of chains within a bi- or multimodal polyolefin product can be selectively tagged with different end-groups. By changing the nature of the main-group metal of the CTA, programmed manipulation of the relative magnitudes of the dispersities of the different maxima that make up the final MWD profile can be achieved. This strategy can be implemented with existing LCCTP materials and conventional reactor methods to provide access to scalable and practical quantities of an unlimited array of new polyolefin materials.

Understanding of supramolecular emulsion interfacial polymerization in silico

The composition and structure of a membrane determine its functionality and practical application. We study the supramolecular polymeric membrane prepared by supramolecular emulsion interfacial polymerization (SEIP) on the oil-in-water droplet via the computer simulation method. The factors that may influence its structure and properties are investigated, such as the degree of polymerization and molecular weight distribution (MWD) of products in the polymeric membranes. We find that the SEIP can lead to a higher total degree of polymerization as compared to the supramolecular interfacial polymerization (SIP). However, the average chain length of products in the SEIP is lower than that of the SIP due to its obvious interface curvature. The stoichiometric ratio of reactants in two phases will affect the MWD of the products, which further affects the performance of the membranes in practical applications, such as drug release rate and permeability. Besides, the MWD of the product by SEIP obviously deviates from the Flory distribution as a consequence of the curvature of reaction interface. In addition, we obtain the MWD for the emulsions whose size distribution conforms to the Gaussian distribution so that the MWD may be predicted according to the corresponding emulsion size distribution. This study helps us to better understand the controlling factors that may affect the structure and properties of supramolecular polymeric membranes by SEIP.

One Reagent with Two Functions: Simultaneous Living Radical Polymerization and Chain-End Substitution for Tailoring Polymer Dispersity

The molecular weight distribution of polymer, termed dispersity (Đ), is a fundamental parameter that determines polymer properties. Sodium azide (NaN₃) functions as a catalyst in organocatalyzed living radical polymerization when the reaction medium is nonpolar. In contrast, NaN₃ can act as a nucleophile when the reaction medium is polar. In this paper, we report an efficient approach to dispersity control by exploiting the dual functions of NaN₃ under the varied solvent polarity. Simultaneous polymerization and chain-end substitution allowed us to tune the Đ values of various polymethacrylates and poly(butyl acrylate). Notably, the Đ value could be tuned to a wide range approximately from 1.2 to 2.0 for polymethacrylates and to 3.8 for poly(butyl acrylate). This approach afforded polymer brushes on surfaces with tailored Đ values. An interesting finding was that the polymer brushes exhibited a unique interaction with external molecules, depending on the Đ value.

Tailoring polymer dispersity by mixing ATRP initiators

Herein we present a simple batch method to control polymer dispersity using a mixture of two ATRP initiators with different reactivities.

Achieving molecular weight distribution shape control and broad dispersities using RAFT polymerizations

Metered additions of chain transfer agents are used to control molecular weight distribution (MWD) features in reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerizations, giving polymers with tailored MWD shapes and dispersities as high as 6.2.