The Effect of Macromonomer Surfactant Microstructure on Aqueous Polymer Dispersion and Derived Polymer Film Properties

Water-borne coatings were prepared from poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) latexes using different methacrylic acid containing macromonomers as stabilizers, and their physical properties were determined. The amphiphilic methacrylic acid macromonomers containing methyl, butyl, or lauryl methacrylate as hydrophobic comonomers were synthesized via catalytic chain transfer polymerization to give stabilizers with varying architecture, composition, and molar mass. A range of latexes of virtually the same composition was prepared by keeping the content of methacrylic acid groups during the emulsion polymerization constant and by only varying the microstructure of the macromonomers. These latexes displayed a range of rheological behaviors: from highly viscous and shear thinning to low viscous and Newtonian. The contact angles of the resulting coatings ranged from very hydrophilic (<10°) to almost hydrophobic (88°), and differences in hardness, roughness, and water vapor sorption and permeability were found.

ω-Unsaturated methacrylate macromonomers as reactive polymeric stabilizers in mini-emulsion polymerization

Polymer latexes of poly(benzyl methacrylate) P(BzMA) were synthesized by mini-emulsion polymerization, using hexadecane as the hydrophobe and ω-unsaturated methacrylate-based macromonomers as a reactive stabilizer. The amphiphilic macromonomers were synthesized by...

Emulsifier-Free Acrylate-Based Emulsion Prepared by Reverse Iodine Transfer Polymerization

The self-emulsifying acrylate-based emulsions with solid content 45 wt.% were prepared in 3.5 h by reverse iodine transfer polymerization (RITP), and the polymer molecular weight (Mn) could be 30,000 g·mol-1. The influences of methacrylic acid (MAA) amount, soft/hard monomer mass ratio, and iodine amount on polymerization and latex were investigated. A moderate amount of ionized MAA was needed to stabilize the emulsion. Glass transition temperature (Tg) was decreased with the increasing mass ratio of soft/hard monomer. A higher iodine amount resulted in lower Mn. The increased Mn after chain extension of the polymer with water-insoluble monomers in iterative one-pot method proved the living of polymer. Compared with conventional emulsion polymerization, molecular weight (Mn) could be controlled, and Mn of polymer synthesized in RITP emulsion polymerization is higher; emulsion of polyacrylate-containing hydroxyl monomer units prepared by RITP emulsifier-free radical polymerization is more stable. Good properties, such as hardness, water resistance, adhesion, and increased value of maximum tensile of films modified by reaction of polyacrylate with melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin, indicated potential application in baking coating.

Synthesis of block copolymers using poly(methyl methacrylate) with unsaturated chain end through kinetic studies

Kinetic studies aided the controlled synthesis of PMMA block copolymers and PMMA branched copolymers from a PMMA containing an unsaturated chain end.

Controlled synthesis of methacrylate and acrylate diblock copolymers via end-capping using CCTP and FRP

This work demonstrates a method for preparing acrylic-methacrylic diblock copolymers via end-capping.

Polymerization induced self-assembly: an opportunity toward the self-assembly of polysaccharide-containing copolymers into high-order morphologies

Self-assembly of polysaccharide-containing amphiphilic copolymers: polymerization induced self-assembly versus traditional techniques.

Controlling Nanomaterial Size and Shape for Biomedical Applications via Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly

Rapid developments in the polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) technique have paved the way for the environmentally friendly production of nanoparticles with tunable size and shape for a diverse range of applications. In this feature article, the biomedical applications of PISA nanoparticles and the substantial progress made in controlling their size and shape are highlighted. In addition to early investigations into drug delivery, applications such as medical imaging, tissue culture, and blood cryopreservation are also described. Various parameters for controlling the morphology of PISA nanoparticles are discussed, including the degree of polymerization of the macro-CTA and core-forming polymers, the concentration of macro-CTA and core-forming monomers, the solid content of the final products, the solution pH, the thermoresponsitivity of the macro-CTA, the macro-CTA end group, and the initiator concentration. Finally, several limitations and challenges for the PISA technique that have been recently addressed, along with those that will require further efforts into the future, will be highlighted.

Use of poly(methyl methacrylate) with an unsaturated chain end as a macroinitiator precursor in organocatalyzed living radical block polymerization

PMMA–PBA block copolymers were synthesized through a one-pot AFCT and organocatalyzed LRP from a PMMA containing an unsaturated chain end.