Graft copolymers of polyethylene by atom transfer radical polymerization

Poly(ethylene‐g‐styrene) and poly(ethylene‐g‐methyl methacrylate) graft copolymers were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Commercially available poly(ethylene‐co‐glycidyl methacrylate) was converted into ATRP macroinitiators by reaction with chloroacetic acid and 2‐bromoisobutyric acid, respectively, and the pendant‐functionalized polyolefins were used to initiate the ATRP of styrene and methyl methacrylate. In both cases, incorporation of the vinyl monomer into the graft copolymer increased with extent of the reaction. The controlled growth of the side chains was proved in the case of poly(ethylene‐g‐styrene) by the linear increase of molecular weight with conversion and low polydispersity (M_w /M_n < 1.4) of the cleaved polystyrene grafts. Both macroinitiators and graft copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR and differential scanning calorimetry. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2440–2448, 2000     

Graft copolymers by atom transfer polymerization

Various graft copolymers have been prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using both “grafting through” and “grafting fromõ approaches. The synthesis and some properties are reviewed.     

Synthesis of block copolymers by the transformation of cationic polymerization into reversible atom transfer radical polymerization

Azo-containing polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) obtained by cationic polymerization was used as a macroinitiator in the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of styrene and methyl acrylate in conjunction with CuCl₂/2,2′-bipyridine as a catalyst. Diblock PTHF–polystyrene and PTHF–poly(methyl acrylate) were obtained after a two-step process. In the first step of the reaction, stable chlorine-end-capped PTHF was formed with the thermolysis of azo-linked PTHF at 65–70 °C in the presence of the catalyst. Heating the system at temperatures of 100–110 °C started the polymerization of the second monomer, which resulted in the formation of block copolymers. The decomposition behavior of the azo-linked PTHF and the structure of the block copolymers were determined by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Kinetic studies and GPC analyses further confirmed the controlled/living nature of the RATRP initiated by the polymeric radicals. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2199–2208, 2002     

Sequential synthesis of multiblock copolymers by atom transfer radical and cationic polymerization

ABCBA‐type pentablock copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (S), and isobutylene (IB) were prepared by a three‐step synthesis, which included atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and cationic polymerization: (1) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with terminal chlorine atoms was prepared by ATRP initiated with an aromatic difunctional initiator bearing two trichloromethyl groups under CuCl/2,2′‐bipyridine catalysis; (2) PMMA with the same catalyst was used for ATRP of styrene, which produced a poly(S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S) triblock copolymer; and (3) IB was polymerized cationically in the presence of the aforementioned triblock copolymer and BCl₃, and this produced a poly(IB‐b‐S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S‐b‐IB) pentablock copolymer. The reaction temperature, varied from ?78 to ?25 °C, significantly affected the IB content in the product; the highest was obtained at ?25 °C. The formation of a pentablock copolymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution provided direct evidence of the presence of active chlorine at the ends of the poly(S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S) triblock copolymer, capable of the initiation of the cationic polymerization of IB in the presence of BCl₃. A differential scanning calorimetry trace of the pentablock copolymer (20.1 mol % IB) showed the glass‐transition temperatures of three segregated domains, that is, polyisobutylene (?87.4 °C), polystyrene (95.6 °C), and PMMA (103.7 °C) blocks. One glass‐transition temperature (104.5 °C) was observed for the aforementioned triblock copolymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 6098–6108, 2004     

Graft copolymers by acyclic diene metathesis and atom transfer radical polymerization techniques

Precise graft copolymer architectures were achieved by combining the macromonomer technique with the acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) reaction. These well‐defined copolymer structures were the result of proper monomer design before metathesis polymerization. Features such as length of the graft, nature, and concentration of the graft site along the backbone were manipulated via the combination of living atom transfer radical polymerization methods with ADMET chemistry. Furthermore, the physical behavior of these materials was altered such that they presented dissimilar thermal properties of either the homopolymers or random copolymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2816–2827, 2003     

Synthesis of miktoarm star and miktoarm star block copolymers via a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and stable free‐radical polymerization

A trifunctional initiator, 2‐phenyl‐2‐[(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl)‐1‐piperidinyloxy] ethyl 2,2‐bis[methyl(2‐bromopropionato)] propionate, was synthesized and used for the synthesis of miktoarm star AB₂ and miktoarm star block AB₂C₂ copolymers via a combination of stable free‐radical polymerization (SFRP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in a two‐step or three‐step reaction sequence, respectively. In the first step, a polystyrene (PSt) macroinitiator with dual ω‐bromo functionality was obtained by SFRP of styrene (St) in bulk at 125 °C. Next, this PSt precursor was used as a macroinitiator for ATRP of tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA) in the presence of Cu(I)Br and pentamethyldiethylenetriamine at 80 °C, affording miktoarm star (PSt)(PtBA)₂ [where PtBA is poly(tert‐butyl acrylate)]. In the third step, the obtained St(tBA)₂ macroinitiator with two terminal bromine groups was further polymerized with methyl methacrylate by ATRP, and this resulted in (PSt)(PtBA)₂(PMMA)₂‐type miktoarm star block copolymer [where PMMA is poly(methyl methacrylate)] with a controlled molecular weight and a moderate polydispersity (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.38). All polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography and ¹H NMR. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2542–2548, 2003     

Graft polymerization of polysilsesquioxane containing chloromethylphenyl groups by atom transfer radical polymerization

Polysilsesquioxane with phenyl and chloromethylphenyl groups (PCPSQ) was prepared readily from phenyltrimethoxysilane and [2‐(chloromethylphenyl)ethyl]trimethoxysilane under acidic conditions. Polymerization with chloromethylphenyl groups on PCPSQ with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was conducted in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) bromide and (−)‐sparteine. Atom transfer radical polymerization yielded a graft polymer (PCPSQ‐g‐MMA) efficiently, and no gelation was observed. The process was also applied to the preparation of graft block copolymers on PCPSQ with several methacrylate monomers. An advantage of the graft hybrid polymers was shown in improved thermal behavior. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4212–4221, 2004     

Amphiphilic cationic block copolymers via controlled free radical polymerization

N-oxyl terminated vinylbenzyl chloride macromonomers, available via controlled free radical polymerization, were used to synthesize AB-block copolymers of vinylbenzyl chloride and styrene with low polydispersity and different block lengths and block length ratios. The vinylbenzyl chloride blocks were quantitatively converted into cationic polyelectrolytes by reactions with tertiary amines. The micellization of the synthesized amphiphilic cationic block copolymers was investigated using different techniques such as static light scattering, ultracentrifugation and size exclusion chromatography.     

Synthesis of diblock copolymers by combining stable free radical polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

A stable nitroxyl radical functionalized with an initiating group for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), 4‐(2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropionyloxy)‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (Br‐TEMPO), was synthesized by the reaction of 4‐hydroxyl‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy with 2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropionyl bromide. Stable free radical polymerization of styrene was then carried out using a conventional thermal initiator, dibenzoyl peroxide, along with Br‐TEMPO. The obtained polystyrene had an active bromine atom for ATRP at the ω‐end of the chain and was used as the macroinitiator for ATRP of methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate to prepare block copolymers. The molecular weights of the resulting block copolymers at different monomer conversions shifted to higher molecular weights and increased with monomer conversion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2468–2475, 2006     

Synthesis of semifluorinated block copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

Two sets of styrene‐based semifluorinated block copolymers, one with a perfluoroether pendant group and another with a perfluoroalkyl group, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. Microphase separation of the block copolymers was established by small‐angle X‐ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC measurements also showed that the perfluoroether‐based polymer had a low glass‐transition temperature (?44 °C). Contact‐angle measurements indicated that the semifluorinated block copolymers had low surface energies (ca. 13 mJ/m²). These materials hold promise as low‐surface‐energy additives or surfactants for supercritical CO₂ applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 853–861, 2004     

New antibacterial cationic surfactants prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization

Efficient antibacterial surfactants have been prepared by the quaternization of the amino groups of poly(ethylene‐co‐butylene)‐b‐poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate] (PEB‐b‐PDMAEMA) diblock copolymers by octyl bromide. The diblock copolymers have been synthesized by ATRP of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) initiated by an activated bromide‐end‐capped poly(ethylene‐co‐butylene). In the presence of CuBr, 1,4,7,10,10‐hexamethyl‐triethylenetetramine (HMTETA), and toluene at 50 °C, the initiation is slow in comparison with propagation. This situation has been improved by the substitution of CuCl for CuBr, all the other conditions being the same. Finally, the addition of an excess of CuCl₂ (deactivator) to the CuCl/HMTETA catalyst is very beneficial in making the agreement between the theoretical and experimental number‐average molecular weights excellent. The antibacterial activity of PEB‐b‐PDMAEMA quaternized by octyl bromide has been assessed against bacteria and is comparable to the activity of a commonly used disinfectant, that is, benzalkonium chloride. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1214‐1224, 2006     

Preparation of polyethylene block copolymers by a combination of postmetallocene catalysis of ethylene polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

The synthesis of block copolymers consisting of a polyethylene segment and either a poly(meth)acrylate or polystyrene segment was accomplished through the combination of postmetallocene-mediated ethylene polymerization and subsequent atom transfer radical polymerization. A vinyl-terminated polyethylene (number-average molecular weight = 1800, weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight =1.70) was synthesized by the polymerization of ethylene with a phenoxyimine zirconium complex as a catalyst activated with methylalumoxane (MAO). This polyethylene was efficiently converted into an atom transfer radical polymerization macroinitiator by the addition of α-bromoisobutyric acid to the vinyl chain end, and the polyethylene macroinitiator was used for the atom transfer radical polymerization of n-butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, or styrene; this resulted in defined polyethylene-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate), polyethylene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate), and polyethylene-b-polystyrene block copolymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 496–504, 2004     

Homo and block copolymers of tert-butyl methacrylate by atom transfer radical polymerization

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of tert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) was investigated using cuprous bromide with different ligands, solvents, deactivators, etc. The polymerization in bulk and diphenyl ether solvent system performed using Cu(I)Br complexed with N, N, N′, N″, N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) catalyst in conjunction with 2-bromopropionitrile as an initiator at room temperature showed a curvature in the first-order kinetic plot. The controlled polymerization in methanol solution resulted in slower rate of polymerization and lower molecular weights. Well-defined diblock copolymers of PSt-b-PtBMA synthesized by polystyrene bromo macroinitiator (PSt-Br) with Cu(I)Cl/PMDETA catalyst system yielded predetermined molecular weights and lower polydispersities. Otherwise, the Cu(I)Br/PMDETA catalytic system showed an inefficient polymerization of tert-butyl methacrylate with lower molecular weights and higher polydispersities. Subsequent hydrolysis of the homopolymer refluxed in dioxane with addition of HCl afforded well-defined poly(methacrylic acid).     

Silica-PMMA hairy nanoparticles prepared via phase transfer-assisted aqueous miniemulsion atom transfer radical polymerization

Hairy nanoparticles (HNPs) constitute a class of hybrid nanocomposites that are resistant to aggregation and agglomeration, although the green, large-scale synthesis of HNPs remains a challenge. In this work, 25 nm-diameter silica-core HNPs with a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) shell were synthesized using a graft-from approach in aqueous miniemulsion, employing atom transfer radical polymerization with activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET-ATRP). In particular, this work used tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB)-assisted phase transfer of monomer, markedly improving upon earlier methods by showing that phase transfer could take place in the absence of organic solvents. Furthermore, syntheses with selected monomer addition rates produced HNP graft densities ranging from 0.011 to 0.017 chains/nm² and shell thicknesses ranging from 2.5 to 11 nm. Finally, analysis of reaction kinetics revealed that shell growth reached completion in as little as 2 hr, confirmed by the synthesis of >1 g of PMMA-shell HNPs in a reduced timeframe.     

Densely grafting copolymers of ethyl cellulose through atom transfer radical polymerization

Densely grafting copolymers of ethyl cellulose with polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) were synthesized through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). First, the residual hydroxyl groups on the ethyl cellulose reacted with 2‐bromoisobutyrylbromide to yield 2‐bromoisobutyryloxy groups, known to be an efficient initiator for ATRP. Subsequently, the functional ethyl cellulose was used as a macroinitiator in the ATRP of methyl methacrylate and styrene in toluene in conjunction with CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as a catalyst system. The molecular weight of the graft copolymers increased without any trace of the macroinitiator, and the polydispersity was narrow. The molecular weight of the side chains increased with the monomer conversion. A kinetic study indicated that the polymerization was first‐order. The morphology of the densely grafted copolymer in solution was characterized through laser light scattering. The individual densely grafted copolymer molecules were observed through atomic force microscopy, which confirmed the synthesis of the densely grafted copolymer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4099–4108, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated block copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

Well‐defined sulfonated polystyrene and block copolymers with n‐butyl acrylate (nBA) were synthesized by CuBr catalyzed living radical polymerization. Neopentyl p‐styrene sulfonate (NSS) was polymerized with ethyl‐2‐bromopropionate initiator and CuBr catalyst with N,N,N′,N′‐pentamethylethyleneamine to give poly(NSS) (PNSS) with a narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD < 1.12). PNSS was then acidified by thermolysis resulting in a polystyrene backbone with 100% sulfonic acid groups. Random copolymers of NSS and styrene with various composition ratios were also synthesized by copolymerization of NSS and styrene with different feed ratios (MWD < 1.11). Well defined block copolymers with nBA were synthesized by sequential polymerization of NSS from a poly(n‐butyl acrylate) (PnBA) precursor using CuBr catalyzed living radical polymerization (MWD < 1.29). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5991–5998, 2008     

Synthesis of block and graft copolymers of β-pinene and styrene by transformation of living cationic polymerization to atom transfer radical polymerization

The transformations of living cationic polymerization to ATRP to form the block and graft copolymers of β-pinene with styrene were performed. Poly(β-pinene) carrying benzyl chloride terminal [poly(β-p)StCl] was prepared by capping the living poly(β-pinene), which was obtained with 1-phenylethyl chloride/TiCl₄/Ti(OiPr)₄/nBu₄NCl initiating system, with a few units of styrene. Poly(β-p)StCl, in conjunction with CuCl and bpy, could initiate the ATRP of styrene and gave well-defined block copolymer of β-pinene and styrene. In contrast, tert-alkyl-chlorine-capped poly(β-pinene) [poly(β-p)Cl] obtained by living cationic polymerization of β-pinene per se without capping of styrene gave a mixture of desired block copolymers and unreacted poly(β-p)Cl due to the low initiating reactivity of poly(β-p)Cl. Brominated poly(β-pinene) synthesized by the quantitative bromination of poly(β-pinene) using NBS was also used to initiate the ATRP of styrene in the presence of CuBr and bpy to prepare the graft copolymer of β-pinene and styrene. The first-order kinetic characteristic and linear increment of molecule weight with the increasing of monomer conversion indicated the living nature of this ATRP grafting.     

Synthesis of AB2 miktoarm star-shaped copolymers by combining stable free radical polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

A stable nitroxyl radical functionalized with two initiating groups for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), 4-(2,2-bis-(methyl 2-bromo isobutyrate)-propionyloxy)-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (Br₂-TEMPO), was synthesized by reacting 4-hydroxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy with 2,2-bis-(methyl 2-bromo isobutyrate) propanoic acid. Stable free radical polymerization of styrene was then carried out using a conventional thermal initiator, dibenzoyl peroxide, along with Br₂-TEMPO. The obtained polystyrene had two active bromine atoms for ATRP at the ω-end of the chain and was further used as the macroinitiator for ATRP of methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate to prepare AB₂-type miktoarm star-shaped copolymers. The molecular weights of the resulting miktoarm star-shaped copolymers at different monomer conversions shifted to higher molecular weights without any trace of the macroinitiator, and increased with monomer conversion.     

Synthesis and application of functional polyethylene graft copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

This investigation attempts to elucidate the copolymerization reaction ethylene and p-methylstyrene via the homogeneous metallocene catalyst, Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂. With increasing of p-methylstyrene concentration, the poly[ethylene-co-(p-methylstyrene)] copolymer shows systematical decrease of melting temperature and crystallinity and increase of glass transition temperature. The benzylic protons of p-methylstyrene are ready for numerous chemical reactions, such as halogenation and oxidation, which can introduce functional groups at the p-methyl group position under mild reaction conditions. With the bromination reaction of poly[ethylene-co-(p-methylstyrene)], polyethylene graft copolymers, such as polyethylene-g-poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyethylene-g-polystyrene can be prepared via atomic transfer radical polymerization. The following selective bromination reaction of p-methylstyrene units in the copolymer and the subsequent radical graft-from polymerization were effective methods of producing polymeric side chains with well-defined structure. The products were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, gel-permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Additionally, the morphology of PE/PMMA and PE/PMMA/PE-g-PMMA blend are compared by using scanning electron microscope.