Grafting of styrene onto low molecular weight polymers and copolymers of butadiene

The grafting of styrene onto low molecular weight polybutadienes and butadiene–styrene co-polymers was studied. A mathematical method was used for the design of experiments and for the determination of the optimum grafting conditions with respect to the conversion of styrene and the efficiency of grafting. The reaction parameters were temperature (65–105°C), time (2–10 hr), concentration of the initiator, polymer to monomer ratio (10/90–90/10) and dilution by solvent (toluene). The optimum grafting conditions were chosen under which 50–60 wt-% of styrene was grafted onto backbone polymer at a high conversion of the monomer. It was found that the reactions producing graft copolymer prevailed over the styrene homopolymerization when the temperatures employed were lower (65–85°C), and the reaction time (8–10 hr), backbone polymer/monomer ratio, and the dilution by solvent were higher. The efficiency, density, and degree of grafting were found to increase with the increase in the molecular weight of the backbone polymer. The efficiencies and densities of grafting onto low molecular weight polybutedienes were higher than those of grafting onto low molecular weight butadiene–styrene copolymers. Grafting efficiencies and grafting densities were in the ranges 37.8–61.6 wt % and 0.06–0.26, respectively, in the studied range of number-average molecular weights (M?_n = 2400–6000).     

Peroxide-Initiated crosslinking of styrene-grafted polymers and copolymers of butadiene

Low molecular weight polymers and copolymers of butadiene were grafted with styrene. The graft products were then crosslinked by using dicumyl peroxide as initiator. The optimum peroxide concentration was established (5 phr). Infrared analysis showed that the reactivity of 1,2-vinyl and that of 1,4-trans double bonds in styrene-grafted polybutadiene is similar. Crosslinking of the graft product seems to involve a radical-chain polymerization of double bonds in the polymer. The reaction rate is proportional to the square root of peroxide concentration and to the concentration of polymer double bonds. Activation energy, reaction heat, reaction order, and crosslinking efficiency were also determined from DSC measurements. No relation was found between the activation energy of crosslinking and the molecular weight of backbone polymer or density of grafting. Crosslinking efficiency was to 25–50 crosslinks per molecule of decomposed peroxide. The crosslinking efficiency for grafted butadiene–styrene copolymers is somewhat lower than that for grafted polybutadienes. From thermogravimetric measurements it was found that the crosslinked grafted polymers show lower resistance to thermal degradation than ungrafted polymers.     

Grafting of poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) with ethyl methacrylate via atom transfer radical polymerization catalyzed by CuCl/1,2‐dipiperidinoethane

Poly(styrene‐graft‐ethyl methacrylate) graft copolymer was prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene)s in various compositions as macroinitiator in the presence of CuCl/1,2‐dipiperidinoethane at 130 °C in N,N‐dimethylformamide. Both macroinitiators and graft copolymers were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry. 1,2‐Dipiperidinoethane was an effective ligand of CuCl for ATRP in the graft copolymerization. The controlled growth of the side chain provided the graft copolymers with polydispersities of 1.60–2.05 in the case of poly(styrene‐co‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) (62:38) macroinitiator. Thermal stabilities of poly(styrene‐graft‐ethyl methacrylate) graft copolymers were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis as compared with those of the macroinitiators. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 668–673, 2003     

Radiation-initiated homogeneous grafting of styrene to benzylcellulose

Graft copolymers of benzylcellulose and styrene were prepared by direct irradiation of benzylcellulose–styrene solutions with ⁶⁰Co γ-radiation. The solutions remained homogeneous during irradiation. The amount of styrene grafted to benzylcellulose increased in dilute solutions and was dose-dependent up to 4.0 MR. The graft copolymer consisted of both branched and linear structures with one in every 140–1020 benzylated anhydroglucose units carrying a grafted polystyrene chain. Grafted polystyrene was isolated from the graft copolymer by hydrolysis of the benzylcellulose substrate. The number-average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the grafted polystyrene were the same as those for hompolymer formed in the same solution, indicating that the substrate is fully accessible to the monomer and polymerization conditions are uniform throughout the solution during the grafting procedure. The existence of a true graft copolymer was proved by the solubility behavior, intrinsic viscosity, number-average molecular weight, and density-gradient sedimentation of the product of the grafting procedure. Column elution fractionation of the gross products of the grafting procedure failed to isolate the benzylcellulose–styrene copolymer which was eluted with ungrafted benzylcellulose.     

Synthesis of arborescent styrene homopolymers and copolymers from epoxidized substrates

The synthesis of arborescent styrenic homopolymers and copolymers was achieved by anionic polymerization and grafting. Styrene and p‐(3‐butenyl)styrene were first copolymerized using sec‐butyllithium in toluene, to generate a linear copolymer with a weight‐average molecular weight M_w = 4000 and M_w/M_n = 1.05. The pendant double bonds of the copolymer were then epoxidized with m‐chloroperbenzoic acid. A comb‐branched (or arborescent generation G0) copolymer was obtained by coupling the epoxidized substrate with living styrene‐p‐(3‐butenyl)styrene copolymer chains with M_w ≈ 5000 in a toluene/tetrahydrofuran mixture. Further cycles of epoxidation and coupling reactions while maintaining M_w ≈ 5000 for the side chains yielded arborescent copolymers of generations G1–G3. A series of arborescent styrene homopolymers was also obtained by grafting M_w ≈ 5000 polystyrene side chains onto the linear and G0–G2 copolymer substrates. Size exclusion chromatography measurements showed that the graft polymers have low polydispersity indices (M_w/M_n = 1.02–1.15) and molecular weights increasing geometrically over successive generations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

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 POLYMERIZATION OF α-METHACRYLYOXYLETHYLOXYCARBONYLMETHYL-ω-(N,N-DIETHYLDITHIOCARBAMYL)POLYSTYRENE MACROMONOMERS

Polystyrene macromonomers with different molecular weight were prepared by radical polymerization of styrene(St) in benzene using β-methacryloxylethyl 2-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamylacetate (MAEDCA) as a monomer-iniferter.Characterization of the macromonomer by ~1H-NMR showed that the end groups were α-methacrylyoxylethyloxycarbonyl-methyl and ω-(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamyl). The macromonomer was difficult to homopolymerize, but it was easilycopolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by AIBN to form graft copolymers (PMMA-g-PSt) with PStbranches randomly distributed along the PMMA backbone. Copolymerization reaction and the structure of the graftcopolymers were strongly affected by M_n and concentration of the macromonomer. The composition and M_n of the purified graft copolymer were determined by ~1H-NMR and GPC analysis.     

Synthesis of low polydispersity polybutadiene and polyethylene stars by convergent living anionic polymerization

Star‐shaped polybutadiene stars were synthesized by a convergent coupling of polybutadienyllithium with 4‐(chlorodimethylsilyl)styrene (CDMSS). CDMSS was added slowly and continuously to the living anionic chains until a stoichiometric equivalent was reached. Gel permeation chromatography‐multi‐angle laser light scattering (GPC‐MALLS) was used to determine the molecular weights and molecular weight distribution of the polybutadiene polymers. The number of arms incorporated into the star depended on the molecular weight of the initial chains and the rate of addition of the CDMSS. Low molecular weight polybutadiene arms (M_n = 640 g/mol) resulted in polybutadiene star polymers with an average of 12.6 arms, while higher molecular weight polybutadiene arms (M_n = 16,000 g/mol) resulted in polybutadiene star polymers with an average of 5.3 arms. The polybutadiene star polymers exhibited high 1,4‐polybutadiene microstructure (88.3–93.1%), and narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.11–1.20). Polybutadiene stars were subsequently hydrogenated by two methods, heterogeneous catalysis (catalytic hydrogenation using Pd/CaCO₃) or reaction with p‐toluenesulfonhydrazide (TSH), to transform the polybutadiene stars into polyethylene stars. The hydrogenation of the polybutadiene stars was found to be close to quantitative by ¹H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 828–836, 2006     

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     

Preparation and properties of some water-soluble,comb-shaped,amphiphilic polymers

Water-soluble comb-shaped polymers were prepared through grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ethers (MPEG) onto acrylic and methacrylic ester copolymers by transesterification reactions. The grafting was alkali-catalyzed, and performed in refluxing toluene solution or in melt at 155°C. The grafting efficiency was found to be on the order of 1 graft/10 monomer units. Epoxy groups in glycidyl methacrylate copolymers were also utilized for grafting. The crude graft copolymers were purified through chromatography and characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy. Polymers prepared from MPEG 2000 were crystalline with melting points 10–15°C lower than the MPEG used. All polymers were shown to be surface active with CMC on the order of 1.5 g/L, and surface tensions of 38–45 dyn/cm. When used as emulsifiers the graft copolymers containing bulky lipophilic ester groups (2-ethylhexyl t-butyl) gave oil-in-water (o/w) and water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions from xylene/water with higher stability than those containing straight chain ester groups (methyl nbutyl n-docecyl). The most stable emulsions were obtained by dissolving the polymers in the organic phase.     

Complex macromolecular structures from stable radical containing block copolymers

A novel synthetic strategy for the synthesis of graft copolymers is reported. Block copolymers containing segments with stable nitroxyl radicals side groups were first prepared by anionic polymerization, which were then used as a precursor for the subsequent nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization (NMRP) of styrene. This way, block–graft copolymers with polystyrene side chains grafted from one of the blocks were successfully synthesized in a controlled manner. In addition, block–graft copolymers with grafted polystyrene chains and a poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) block were subjected to hydrolysis to yield the corresponding amphiphilic polymers. The structures and the molecular weight characteristics of the polymers were characterized by spectral and chromatographic analyses. The surface morphology of thus obtained polymers was also investigated by microscopic techniques. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 58, 62–69     

Synthesis of comb‐like polystyrene with poly(N‐phenyl maleimide‐alt‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) as macroinitiator

The copolymerization of N‐phenyl maleimide and p‐chloromethyl styrene via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process with AIBN as initiator and 2‐(ethoxycarbonyl)prop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate as RAFT agent produced copolymers with alternating structure, controlled molecular weights, and narrow molecular weight distributions. Using poly(N‐phenyl maleimide‐alt‐p‐chloromethyl styrene) as the macroinitiator for atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of CuCl/2,2′‐bipyridine, well‐defined comb‐like polymers with one graft chain for every two monomer units of backbone polymer were obtained. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2069–2075, 2006     

Synthesis of starlike PtBA‐g‐PEO amphiphilic graft copolymer via highly efficient Cu‐catalyzed SET‐NRC reaction at ambient temperature

Two new amphiphilic star graft copolymers bearing hydrophobic poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) backbone and hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) side chains with different molecular weights were synthesized by sequential reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and single electron transfer‐nitroxide radical coupling (SET‐NRC) reaction under mild conditions. RAFT homopolymerization of tert‐butyl 2‐((2‐bromopropanoyloxy)methyl)acrylate was mediated by a four‐armed chain transfer agent in a controlled way to afford a well‐defined starlike backbone with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.26). The target poly(tert‐butyl acrylate)‐g‐PEO (PtBA‐g‐PEO) star graft copolymers were synthesized by SET‐NRC reaction between Br‐containing PtBA‐based starlike backbone and PEO end functionalized with 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO) group using copper/N,N,N′,N′,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as catalytic system at ambient temperature via grafting‐onto strategy. The critical micelle concentration values of the obtained amphiphilic star graft copolymers in aqueous media and brine were determined by fluorescence probe technique using pyrene as probe. Diverse micellar morphologies were formed by varying the content of hydrophilic PEO segment as well as the initial concentration of stock solution. In addition, poly(acrylic acid)‐g‐PEO double hydrophilic star graft copolymers were obtained by selective acidic hydrolysis of hydrophobic PtBA starlike backbone without affecting PEO side chains. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Etude de copolymères ABS (acrylonitrile–butadiène–styrène): Solvatation préférentielle du polybutadiène par les promoteurs

ABS resins formed by copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile (AN) in presence of polybutadiene, consist of a mixture of SAN graft copolymer on polybutadiene (PBut) and of ungrafted SAN copolymer (styrene-co-acrylonitrile). The kinetic study was completed by showing a preferential solvation of polybutadiene by the initiator. This solvation effect was studied as a function of the concentration ratio SAN/PBut and in relation with the type of initiator. The adsorption of initiator appeared to be maximum when its solubility parameter (σ) is close to that of polybutadiene. As a function of the polybutadiene characteristics, this selective adsorption can be given by where I₁ is the quantity of initiator in the polybutadiene medium, I is the total amount of peroxide, [PBut] is the concentration of polybutadiene, and M?_n its molecular weight. It has been shown furthermore that the preferential solvation of polybutadiene by the benzoyl peroxide can be increased by addition of SAN or acrylonitrile. The consequences of this solvation effect on the characteristics of the grafting reaction, more precisely on the molecular weight of grafted and ungrafted SAN and on the rate of polymerization, were examined.     

Effects of the acid chain length and copolymer crosslinking on the acylation of N-hydroxysuccinimide copolymers with carbobenzoxyoligo-ϵ-aminocaproic acids

N-Hydroxysuccinimide-type soluble copolymer with styrene and three similar divinylbenzene (3–4 mole-%) crosslinked copolymers with styrene, N-vinylpyrrolidone, and N,N-dimethylacrylamide were prepared from their precursor copolymers of N-acetoxymaleimide. Acylation of these N-hydroxyl polymers with carbobenzoxyoligo-?-aminocaproic acids was conducted in dimethylformamide at room temperature by using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as condensing agent. The soluble styrene copolymer was acylated in good conversions (76–89%) in every case (n = 1–3), whereas the acylation of the crosslinked copolymers decreased slightly from n = 1 to n = 2, and dropped suddenly to only small conversions (4.7–7.4%) with n = 3, showing a marked inhibitory effect of crosslinking when the acids became longer. The effect of the microenvironment of the polymer did not appear significant. All the acyl polymers, including the precursor polymers, yielded the corresponding cyclohexylamides when treated with cyclohexylamine.     

Synthesis of poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol)‐g‐polystyrene graft copolymer and their applications for ordered porous film and compatibilizer

A series of new functional poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol)‐g‐polystyrene graft copolymers (EVAL‐g‐PS) with controlled molecular weight (M_n = 38,000–94,000 g mol^?1) and molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 2.31–3.49) were synthesized via a grafting from methodology. The molecular structure and component of EVAL‐g‐PS graft copolymers were confirmed by the analysis of their ¹H NMR spectra and GPC curves. The porous films of such copolymers were fabricated via a static breath‐figure (BF) process. The influencing factors on the morphology of such porous films, such as solvent, temperature, polymer concentration, and molecular weight of polymer were investigated. Ordered porous film and better regularity was fabricated through a static BF process using EVAL‐g‐PS solution in CHCl₃. Scanning electron microscopy observation reveals that the EVAL‐g‐PS graft copolymer is an efficient compatibilizer for the blend system of low‐density polyethylene/polystyrene. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 516–524     

Controlled free‐radical polymerization of 2‐vinylpyridine in the presence of nitroxides

Bulk free‐radical polymerization of 2‐vinylpyridine (2VP) in the presence of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl (TEMPO) was studied under different conditions (temperature and presence of additives). Linear poly‐(2‐vinylpyridine) with a narrow molecular weight distribution and controllable molecular weight was prepared in the presence of acetic anhydride at 95 °C up to a conversion of 66%. At higher conversions side reactions became very important (pseudoliving polymerization). By applying this procedure, well‐defined random copolymers of 2VP with styrene or tert‐butylmethacrylate as well as block copolymers of 2VP with styrene were synthesized. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2889–2895, 2001     

Synthesis of nanocylinders consisting of graft block copolymers by the photo‐induced ATRP technique

Photoinduced atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRP) of t‐butyl methacrylate (BMA) were carried out, initiated by model initiator benzyl N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamate (BDC) in the presence of CuCl/bipyridine (bpy) under UV irradiation. We performed the first‐order time‐conversion plots in this polymerization system, and the straight line in the semilogarithmic coordinates indicated a first‐order in the monomer. The molecular weight of poly(t‐butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion. The molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n) of PBMA was about 1.3. The initiator efficiency, f, was close to 1.0, which indicated that no side reactions occurred. A copper complex, CuCl/bpy, reversibly activated the dormant polymer chains via a N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamate (DC) transfer reaction such as Cu(DC)Cl/bpy, and it was dynamic equilibrium that was responsible for the controlled behavior of the polymerization of BMA. On the basis of this information, we established a preparation method of nanocylinders consisting of graft block copolymers by grafting from photoinduced ATRP of multifunctional polystyrene having DC pendant groups with vinyl monomers [first monomer, BMA; second monomer, styrene or methyl methcrylate (MMA)]. We have carried out the characterization of such nanocylinders in detail. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 63–70, 2005     

Structure and properties of cellulose graft copolymers. III. Cellulose–methyl methacrylate graft copolymers synthesized by the ceric ion method

The ceric ion-initiated graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto wood cellulose was found to depend on the concentrations of initiator, monomer, and cellulose. The structure of cellulose—methyl methacrylate graft copolymers was studied by hydrolyzing away the cellulose backbone to isolate the grafted poly(methyl methacrylate) branches. The molecular weights and molecular weight distributions of the grafted poly(methyl methacrylate) were determined by using gel-permeation chromatography. The number-average (M?_n) molecular weights ranged from 36 000 to 160 000 and the polydispersity ratios (M?_w/M?_n) varied from 4.0 to 7.0. The grafting frequency or the number of poly(methyl methacrylate) branches per cellulose chain calculated from the per cent grafting and molecular weight data varied from 0.38 to 3.2. The structure of cellulose—methyl methacrylate graft copolymers and the effect of stepwise addition of initiator on the structure are discussed.     

Grafting of methacrylates and styrene on to polystyrene backbone via a “grafting from” ATRP process at ambient temperature

Well defined graft copolymers are prepared by “grafting from” atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) at room temperature (30 °C). The experiments were aimed at grafting methacrylates and styrene at latent initiating sites of polystyrene. For this purpose, the benzylic hydrogen in polystyrene was subjected to allylic bromination with N‐bromosuccinimide and azobisisobutrylnitirle to generate tertiary bromide ATRP initiating sites (Br? C? PS). The use of Br? C? PS with lesser mol % of bromide initiating groups results in better control and successful graft copolymerization. This was used to synthesize a series of new graft copolymers such as PS‐g‐PBnMA, PS‐g‐PBMA, PS‐g‐GMA, and PS‐g‐(PMMA‐b‐PtBA) catalyzed by CuBr/PMDETA system, in bulk, at room temperature. The polymers are characterized by GPC, NMR, FTIR, TEM, and TGA. Graft copolymerization followed by block polymerization enabled the synthesis of highly branched polymer brush, in which the grafting density can be adjusted by appropriate choice of bromide concentration in the polystyrene. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3818–3832, 2007