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Clothier GKK, Guimarães TR, Thompson SW, Rho JY, Perrier S, Moad G, Zetterlund PB. Multiblock copolymer synthesis via RAFT emulsion polymerization. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:3438-3469. [PMID: 37093560 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00115b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
A multiblock copolymer is a polymer of a specific structure that consists of multiple covalently linked segments, each comprising a different monomer type. The control of the monomer sequence has often been described as the "holy grail" of synthetic polymer chemistry, with the ultimate goal being synthetic access to polymers of a "perfect" structure, where each monomeric building block is placed at a desired position along the polymer chain. Given that polymer properties are intimately linked to the microstructure and monomer distribution along the constituent chains, it goes without saying that there exist seemingly endless opportunities in terms of fine-tuning the properties of such materials by careful consideration of the length of each block, the number and order of blocks, and the inclusion of monomers with specific functional groups. The area of multiblock copolymer synthesis remains relatively unexplored, in particular with regard to structure-property relationships, and there are currently significant opportunities for the design and synthesis of advanced materials. The present review focuses on the synthesis of multiblock copolymers via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization implemented as aqueous emulsion polymerization. RAFT emulsion polymerization offers intriguing opportunities not only for the advanced synthesis of multiblock copolymers, but also provides access to polymeric nanoparticles of specific morphologies. Precise multiblock copolymer synthesis coupled with self-assembly offers material morphology control on length scales ranging from a few nanometers to a micrometer. It is imperative that polymer chemists interact with physicists and material scientists to maximize the impact of these materials of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn K K Clothier
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Thiago R Guimarães
- MACROARC, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Steven W Thompson
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Julia Y Rho
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Sébastien Perrier
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Graeme Moad
- CSIRO Manufacturing, Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
| | - Per B Zetterlund
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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2
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RAFT Emulsion Polymerization of Styrene Using a Poly(( N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)- co-( N-isopropyl acrylamide)) mCTA: Synthesis and Thermosensitivity. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 14:polym14010062. [PMID: 35012086 PMCID: PMC8747436 DOI: 10.3390/polym14010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermoresponsive poly((N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)-co-(N-isopropyl acrylamide)) (P(DMA-co-NIPAM)) copolymers were synthesized via reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by the Kelen–Tüdős method to be rNIPAM = 0.83 and rDMA = 1.10. The thermoresponsive properties of these copo-lymers with varying molecular weights were characterized by visual turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The copolymers showed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water with a dependence on the molar fraction of DMA in the copolymer. Chaotropic and kosmotropic salt anions of the Hofmeister series, known to affect the LCST of thermoresponsive polymers, were used as additives in the aqueous copolymer solutions and their influence on the LCST was demonstrated. Further on, in order to investigate the thermoresponsive behavior of P(DMA-co-NIPAM) in a confined state, P(DMA-co-NIPAM)-b-PS diblock copolymers were prepared via polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) through surfactant-free RAFT mediated emulsion polymerization of styrene using P(DMA-co-NIPAM) as the macromolecular chain transfer agent (mCTA) of the polymerization. As confirmed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM), this approach yielded stabilized spherical micelles in aqueous dispersions where the PS block formed the hydrophobic core and the P(DMA-co-NIPAM) block formed the hydrophilic corona of the spherical micelle. The temperature-dependent behavior of the LCST-type diblock copolymers was further studied by examining the collapse of the P(DMA-co-NIPAM) minor block of the P(DMA-co-NIPAM)-b-PS diblock copolymers as a function of temperature in aqueous solution. The nanospheres were found to be thermosensitive by changing their hydrodynamic radii almost linearly as a function of temperature between 25 °C and 45 °C. The addition of kosmotropic salt anions, as a potentially useful tuning feature of micellar assemblies, was found to increase the hydrodynamic radius of the micelles and resulted in a faster collapse of the micelle corona upon heating.
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Oral I, Grossmann L, Fedorenko E, Struck J, Abetz V. Synthesis of Poly(methacrylic acid)- block-Polystyrene Diblock Copolymers at High Solid Contents via RAFT Emulsion Polymerization. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:3675. [PMID: 34771234 PMCID: PMC8588034 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) and reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization offers a powerful technique to synthesize diblock copolymers and polymeric nanoparticles in a controlled manner. The RAFT emulsion diblock copolymerization of styrene and methacrylic acid (MAA) by using a trithiocarbonate as surfactant and RAFT agent was investigated. The Z-group of the RAFT agent was modified with a propyl-, butyl- and dodecyl- sidechain, increasing the hydrophobicity of the RAFT agent to offer well-controlled polymerization of poly(methacrylic acid)-block-polystyrene (PMAA-b-PS) diblock copolymers at high solid contents between 30-50 wt% in water. The kinetic data of the PMAA homopolymerization with the three different RAFT agents for various solvents was investigated as well as the RAFT emulsion polymerization of the diblock copolymers in pure water. While the polymerization of PMAA-b-PS with a propyl terminus as a Z-group suffered from slow polymerization rates at solid contents above 30 wt%, the polymerization with a dodecyl sidechain as a Z-group led to full conversion within 2 h, narrow molar mass distributions and all that at a remarkable solid content of up to 50 wt%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iklima Oral
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (I.O.); (L.G.); (E.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Larissa Grossmann
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (I.O.); (L.G.); (E.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Elena Fedorenko
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (I.O.); (L.G.); (E.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Jana Struck
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (I.O.); (L.G.); (E.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Volker Abetz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (I.O.); (L.G.); (E.F.); (J.S.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
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Experimental Design in Polymer Chemistry-A Guide towards True Optimization of a RAFT Polymerization Using Design of Experiments (DoE). Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13183147. [PMID: 34578048 PMCID: PMC8468855 DOI: 10.3390/polym13183147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the great potential of design of experiments (DoE) for efficiency and plannability in academic research, it remains a method predominantly used in industrial processes. From our perspective though, DoE additionally provides greater information gain than conventional experimentation approaches, even for more complex systems such as chemical reactions. Hence, this work presents a comprehensive DoE investigation on thermally initiated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of methacrylamide (MAAm). To facilitate the adaptation of DoE for virtually every other polymerization, this work provides a step-by-step application guide emphasizing the biggest challenges along the way. Optimization of the RAFT system was achieved via response surface methodology utilizing a face-centered central composite design (FC-CCD). Highly accurate prediction models for the responses of monomer conversion, theoretical and apparent number averaged molecular weights, and dispersity are presented. The obtained equations not only facilitate thorough understanding of the observed system but also allow selection of synthetic targets for each individual response by prediction of the respective optimal factor settings. This work successfully demonstrates the great capability of DoE in academic research and aims to encourage fellow scientists to incorporate the technique into their repertoire of experimental strategies.
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Rahman MM. Selective Swelling and Functionalization of Integral Asymmetric Isoporous Block Copolymer Membranes. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100235. [PMID: 34057263 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
SNIPS stands for a membrane fabrication technique that combines the evaporation induced self-assembly of the block copolymers and the classical nonsolvent induced phase separation. It is a one-step readily scalable technique to fabricate integral asymmetric isoporous membranes. The prominent developments in the last decade have carved out a niche for SNIPS as a potential technique to fabricate next generation isoporous membranes. In the last decade, a rich polymer library and variety of membrane postmodification routes have been successfully implemented to fabricate SNIPS membranes having the desired pore functionality. Some of these membranes form soft nanochannels in hydrated state due to swelling of the pore wall, i.e., the pore forming block of the block copolymer. These membranes having soft nanochannels have demonstrated the potential to perform several challenging separation tasks in ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. This paper highlights the currently accessible pore functionality, the strategies to tune the swelling of the soft nanochannels, the potential applications, and future perspectives of these membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mushfequr Rahman
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Geesthacht, 21502, Germany
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Oral I, Abetz V. A Highly Selective Polymer Material using Benzo-9-Crown-3 for the Extraction of Lithium in Presence of Other Interfering Alkali Metal Ions. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2000746. [PMID: 33644940 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The recovery of lithium from global water resources continues to be challenging due to interfering metal ions with similar solution properties. Hence, a lithium-selective diblock copolymer system containing crown ethers (CEs) is developed. A polystyrene-block-poly(methacrylic acid) diblock copolymer is synthesized first via a one-pot solution-emulsion reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. A subsequent Steglich esterification yields the CE functionalized polymer. The complexation properties with different alkali metals are first investigated by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) in dichloromethane (DCM) - water systems using free benzo-9-crown (B9C3), benzo-12-crown-4 (B12C4), and benzo-15-crown-5 (B15C5) CEs as reference components, followed by the correspondingly CE-functionalized polymers. Extraction complexation constants in the aqueous phase are determined and the impact of the complexation constants on the extractability is estimated. The B9C3 CE is especially appealing since it has the smallest cavity size among all CEs. It is too small to complex sodium or potassium ions; however, it forms sandwich complexes with a lithium-ion resulting in extraordinary complexation constants in polymer systems avoiding other interfering alkali metal ions. On this basis, a new material for the efficient extraction of lithium ion traces in global water resources is established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iklima Oral
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität, Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, Hamburg, 20146, Germany
| | - Volker Abetz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität, Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, Hamburg, 20146, Germany.,Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Material and Coastal Research, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Geesthacht, 21502, Germany
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Semsarilar M, Abetz V. Polymerizations by RAFT: Developments of the Technique and Its Application in the Synthesis of Tailored (Co)polymers. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.202000311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mona Semsarilar
- Institut Européen des Membranes IEM (UMR5635) Université Montpellier CNRS ENSCM CC 047, Université Montpellie 2 place E. Bataillon Montpellier 34095 France
| | - Volker Abetz
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie Grindelallee 117 Universität Hamburg Hamburg 20146 Germany
- Zentrum für Material‐und Küstenforschung GmbH Institut für Polymerforschung Max‐Planck‐Straße 1 Helmholtz‐Zentrum Geesthacht Geesthacht 21502 Germany
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9
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Lauterbach F, Abetz V. An eco-friendly pathway to thermosensitive micellar nanoobjects via photoRAFT PISA: the full guide to poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidin)-block-polystyrene diblock copolymers. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:2321-2331. [PMID: 32052824 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm02483b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Spherical macromolecular assemblies, so-called latexes, consisting of polystyrene (PS) resemble a relevant class of synthetic polymers used for a plethora of applications ranging from coatings or lubricants to biomedical applications. Their synthesis is usually tailored to the respective application where emulsifiers, radical initiators, or other additives still play a major role in achieving the desired properties. Herein, we demonstrate an alternative based on the photoiniferter reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) of Poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidin)-block-polystyrene (PAPy-b-PS). This approach yields monodisperse nanospheres with tunable sizes based on an aqueous formulation with only two ingredients. These nanospheres are additionally thermosensitive, meaning that they change their hydrodynamic diameter linearly with the temperature in a broad range between 10 °C and 70 °C. Combined with the eco-friendly synthesis in pure water at 40 °C, the herein presented route constitutes an unprecedented pathway to thermosensitive diblock copolymer aggregates in short reaction times without any additives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Lauterbach
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Volker Abetz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
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11
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Schmidt BVKJ. Trends in Polymers 2017/2018: Polymer Synthesis. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 12:E39. [PMID: 31881763 PMCID: PMC7023566 DOI: 10.3390/polym12010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymer synthesis is a substantial area in polymer science and marks the starting point for all sorts of polymer materials that have a plethora of applications in everyday life but also in academic research [...].
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12
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Synthesis of Poly(3-vinylpyridine)- Block-Polystyrene Diblock Copolymers via Surfactant-Free RAFT Emulsion Polymerization. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12193145. [PMID: 31561543 PMCID: PMC6803976 DOI: 10.3390/ma12193145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we present a novel synthetic route to diblock copolymers based on styrene and 3-vinylpyridine monomers. Surfactant-free water-based reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of the macroRAFT agent poly(3-vinylpyridine) (P3VP) is used to synthesize diblock copolymers with molecular weights of around 60 kDa. The proposed mechanism for the poly(3-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(styrene) (P3VP-b-PS) synthesis is the polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) which involves the in situ formation of well-defined micellar nanoscale objects consisting of a PS core and a stabilizing P3VP macroRAFT agent corona. The presented approach shows a well-controlled RAFT polymerization, allowing for the synthesis of diblock copolymers with high monomer conversion. The obtained diblock copolymers display microphase-separated structures according to their composition.
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Stace SJ, Vanderspikken J, Howard SC, Li G, Muir BW, Fellows CM, Keddie DJ, Moad G. Ab initio RAFT emulsion polymerization mediated by small cationic RAFT agents to form polymers with low molar mass dispersity. Polym Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c9py00893d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report on low molar mass cationic RAFT agents that provide predictable molar mass and low molar mass dispersities (Đm) in ab initio emulsion polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Stace
- School of Science and Technology
- University of New England
- Armidale
- Australia
- CSIRO Manufacturing
| | - Jochen Vanderspikken
- CSIRO Manufacturing
- Clayton South
- Australia
- Hasselt University
- Institute for Materials Research (IMO)
| | | | - Guoxin Li
- CSIRO Manufacturing
- Clayton South
- Australia
| | | | | | - Daniel J. Keddie
- School of Science and Technology
- University of New England
- Armidale
- Australia
- School of Biology
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Abetz V, Kremer K, Müller M, Reiter G. Functional Macromolecular Systems: Kinetic Pathways to Obtain Tailored Structures. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.201800334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Volker Abetz
- Institute of Polymer Research; Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Max-Planck-Straße 1 21502 Geesthacht Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry; University of Hamburg; Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6 20146 Hamburg Germany
| | - Kurt Kremer
- Polymer Theory; Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research; Ackermannweg 10 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Marcus Müller
- Institute for Theoretical Physics; Georg-August University of Göttingen; Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Günter Reiter
- Institute of Physics; Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg; Hermann-Herder-Str. 3 79104 Freiburg Germany
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