Synthesis and micelle formation of triblock copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) in aqueous solution

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA) with well-defined structure were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by the PEO macroinitiator. The macroinitiator and triblock copolymer with different PMMA and/or PEO block lengths were characterized with ¹H and ¹³C NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The micelle formed by these triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions was detected by fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of pyrene probe. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) ranged from 0.0019 to 0.016 mg/mL and increased with increasing PMMA block length, while the PEO block length had less effect on the CMC. The partition constant K_v for pyrene in the micelle and in aqueous solution was about 10⁵. The triblock copolymer appeared to form the micelles with hydrophobic PMMA core and hydrophilic PEO loop chain corona. The hydrodynamic radius R_h,app of the micelle measured with dynamic light scattering (DLS) ranged from 17.3 to 24.0 nm and increased with increasing PEO block length to form thicker corona. The spherical shape of the micelle of the triblock copolymers was observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). Increasing hydrophobic PMMA block length effectively promoted the micelle formation in aqueous solutions, but the micelles were stable even only with short PMMA blocks.     

Surface and solution properties of polysiloxane–poly(methyl methacrylate) graft copolymer

A polysiloxane–poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) graft copolymer was prepared by hydrosilylation reaction between a Si? H containing polysiloxane and an allyl-terminated PMMA. The obtained graft copolymer was blended with PMMA homopolymer. The addition of only 0.01 wt % of graft copolymer was sufficient to make PMMA surfaces hydrophobic. In acetone–cyclohexane mixed solvent, the graft copolymer formed a polymeric micelle by the aggregation of PMMA branches.     

Structure induced by irradiation of femtosecond laser pulse in dyed polymeric materials

We investigated the structures induced by an irradiation of a near‐infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser pulse in dye‐doped polymeric materials {poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), thermoplastic epoxy resin (Epoxy), and a block copolymer of methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate‐butyl acrylate [p(MMA/EA‐BA) block copolymer]}. Dyes used were classified into two types—type 1 with absorption at 400 nm and type 2 with no absorption at 400 nm. The 400‐nm wavelength corresponds to the two‐photon absorption region by the irradiated NIR laser pulse at 800 nm. Type 1 dye‐doped PMMA and p(MMA/EA‐BA) block copolymer showed a peculiar dye additive effect for the structures induced by the line irradiation of a NIR femtosecond laser pulse. On the contrary, dye‐doped Epoxy did not exhibit a dye additive effect. The different results among PMMA, p(MMA/EA‐BA) block copolymer, and Epoxy matrix polymers are supposed to be related to the difference of electron‐acceptor properties. The mechanism of this type 1 dye‐additive‐effect phenomenon for PMMA and p(MMA/EA‐BA) block copolymer is discussed on the basis of two‐photon absorption of type 1 dye at 400 nm by the irradiation of a femtosecond laser pulse with 800 nm wavelength and the dissipation of the absorbed energy to the polymer matrix among various transition processes. Dyes with a low‐fluorescence quantum yield favored the formation of thicker grating structures. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2800–2806, 2002     

Thermal‐initiating potentialities of vinyl polyperoxides: Transmutation of block‐into‐block copolymer and an exploratory investigation of surface texture and morphology

This article describes the first comprehensive study on the use of vinyl polyperoxides, namely, poly(α‐methyl styrene peroxide) (PMSP) and poly(styrene peroxide) (PSP), as thermal initiators for the synthesis of active polymers, PMSP–PS–PMSP/PSP–PS–PSP, by free‐radical polymerization with styrene. The active polymers have been characterized by ¹H NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and gel permeation chromatography analysis. The PMSP–PS–PMSP/PSP–PS–PSP is further used as the thermal macroinitiator for the preparation of another block copolymer, PS‐b‐PMMA, through the reaction of the active polymers with methyl methacrylate. The mechanism of the block copolymer formation is discussed. Having established the scanning micrograph details of the homopolymer phases, we analyze the surface features and morphology of the block copolymer. Furthermore, the distinction in appearance is highlighted with a view toward strengthening the chemistry with the structural appearance in materials processed differently. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3665–3673, 2000     

甲基丙烯酸甲酯的反向原子转移自由基聚合反应 研究

在较低的温度(60℃)和较低的AIBN/CuCl~2/配位剂摩尔比(1:2:4)条件下,用乙腈为溶剂,实现了甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)的反向原子转移自由基聚合(RATRP)。联二吡啶(bpy)为配位剂时,所合成的聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)的分子量分布可低至1.08。用1,10-菲咯啉(phen)代替bpy,MMA的聚合反应速率加快,但其分子量分布稍宽(1.40左右),并进一步研究了bpy和phen作为混合配位剂时对MMA反向ATRP聚合的影响。用RATRP反应所得的带有卤素端基的PMMA作为苯乙烯ATRP的大分子引发剂,成功地合成了具有预期结构的苯乙烯与甲基丙烯酸甲酯嵌段共聚物,大分子引发剂的引发效率接近于1,说明在RATRP过程中由自由基引发剂引发MMA进行一般自由基聚合反应的可能性甚微。     

Synthesis and characterization of linear ABC triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide,methyl methacrylate,and styrene

A well‐defined linear ABC triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide (EO), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and styrene (St) was prepared by sequential living anionic and photo‐induced charge transfer polymerization (CTP) using p‐aminophenol as parent compound. In the first step, the diblock copolymer of PEO‐b‐PMMA with a protected aniline end group at PEO end was prepared by initiating of phenoxo‐anion the polymerization of EO and MMA successively, then the diblock copolymer of PEO‐b‐PMMA via deprotection of aniline at PEO end constituted a binary initiation system with benzophenone (BP) by charge transfer complex mechanism to initiate the polymerization of St under UV‐irradiation. The GPC and NMR measurements support that in copolymerization, either in the first or second step, neither homopolymer nor side reactions, such as chain transfer or chain termination, was found. The effect of the concentration of PEO_a‐b‐PMMA and St, and the polarity of solvent on the polymerization rate (R_p) of CTP is discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 825–833, 1999     

Catenated PS–PMMA Block Copolymers via Supramolecularly Templated ATRP Initiator Approach

A novel route to synthesize catenated macrocyclic PS–PMMA block copolymers is demonstrated via combination of supramolecular chemistry and controlled radical polymerization (CRP). Polymerization of styrene with bromopropionate ester initiator coupled with phenanthroline Cu(I) complex affords a four arm PS macroinitiator, which upon further chain extension by polymerization of MMA generates a four arm PS–PMMA block copolymer. Intramolecular coupling of PS–PMMA–Br arms via low temperature styrene‐assisted atom transfer radical coupling (ATRC) leads to the formation of PS–PMMA catenand, which generates the metal‐free catenated macrocyclic PS–PMMA block copolymer after removal of Cu metal. The interlocked structures of catenated block copolymers are confirmed by GPC, NMR, and AFM image analysis.     

Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Copolymerization. XXVI. Effect of Solvent,Temperature, and Complexing Agent on the Polymerization of Comonomer Charge Transfer Complexes

The copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate (S/MMA = 4/1) or acrylonitrile (S/AN = 1/1) in the presence of ethylaluminum sesquichloride (EASC) yields 1/1 copolymer in toluene or chlorobenzene. In chloroform the S-MMA-EASC polymerization yields 60/40 copolymer while the S-AN-EASC polymerization yields 1/1 copolymer. In the presence of EASC, styrene-α-chloroacrylonitrile yields 1/1 copolymer (DMF or DMSO), S-AN yields 1/1 copolymer (DMSO) or radical copolymer (DMF), S-MMA yields radical copolymer (DMF or DMSO), α-methylstyrene-AN yields radical copolymer (DMSO) or traces of copolymer (DMF), and α-MS-methacrylo-nitrile yields traces of copolymer (DMSO) or no copolymer (DMF). When zinc chloride is used as complexing agent in DMF or DMSO, none of the monomer pairs undergoes polymerization. However, radical catalyzed polymerization of isoprene-AN-ZnCl₂ in DMF yields 1/1 alternating copolymer. The copolymerization of S/MMA in the presence of EASC yields 1/1 alternating copolymer up to 100°C, while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 alternating copolymer above 50°C. The copolymerization of S/MMA deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC mole ratios above 20 while the copolymerization of S/AN deviates from 1/1 copolymer at MMA/EASC ratios above 50.     

活性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯和溴甲基化聚苯乙烯偶合反应制备接枝共聚物

采用基团转移聚合、阴离子聚合以及高分子偶合反应的方法,合成了一种结构明确、链长均匀和分子量可控的聚苯乙烯接枝聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯。主链聚苯乙烯由阴离子聚合得到,并进行溴甲基化。支链活性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯由基团转移聚合制备。经偶合反应后得到分子量为3×10⁴～7×10⁴、多分散性指数D为1.2～1.4的接枝共聚物。溴甲基化聚苯乙烯和活性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯的偶合反应活性随分子量的增大而降低,理想的反应温度为-20℃。用¹HNMR、GPC和DSC表征接枝产物。和均聚物相比,共聚物的玻璃化温度较低。     

Atomic force microscopy investigation of asymmetric diblock copolymer morphologies in thin films

Microphase separation and the resulting morphology of asymmetric diblock copolymers of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) in thin films have been investigated by atomic force microscopy. Copolymers consisted of a short block of PCL (M_n∼2500-4500 g/mole) and a longer second block of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(styrene) (PS) or poly(cyclohexene oxide) (PCHO). Tendency for microphase separation above the glass transition temperature of the second block (PMMA, PS or PCHO) resulted in a pitted morphology on the surface of the thin films. This tendency was strongest for PMMA and weakest for PCHO. The presence of up to 54% PMMA homopolymer in PCL-PMMA block copolymer did not prevent the formation of such pitted morphology on the surface. The effect of the chemical structure of the second block and the possible orientations of the block copolymer molecules in thin films are discussed.     

Cu(S2CNEt2)Cl‐Catalyzed Reverse Atom‐Transfer Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers

A new copper catalyst containing chlorine and a photo‐labile diethylthiocarbamoylthiyl group was successfully employed in the reverse ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The polymeric chains were end‐capped with S₂CNEt₂, due to pseudo‐halogen atom‐transfer reaction between active and dormant species. Photopolymerization of this PMMA in the presence of fresh MMA and styrene monomers at ambient temperature yielded chain‐extended PMMA and MMA/styrene block copolymers, respectively.

GPC traces of (A) PMMA end‐capped with a photo‐labile group (pre‐PMMA), (B) chain‐extended PMMA (post‐PMMA), and (C) PMMA/styrene block copolymer (PMMA‐b‐PSt).     

Compatibilizing effect of a graft copolymer on bacterial poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Blends of isotactic (natural) poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are partially miscible, and PHB in excess of 20 wt % segregates as a partially crystalline pure phase. Copolymers containing atactic PHB chains grafted onto a PMMA backbone are used to compatibilize phase‐separated PHB/PMMA blends. Two poly(methyl methacrylate‐g‐hydroxybutyrate) [P(MMA‐g‐HB)] copolymers with different grafting densities and the same length of the grafted chain have been investigated. The copolymer with higher grafting density, containing 67 mol % hydroxybutyrate units, has a beneficial effect on the mechanical properties of PHB/PMMA blends with 30–50% PHB content, which show a remarkable increase in ductility. The main effect of copolymer addition is the inhibition of PHB crystallization. No compatibilizing effect on PHB/PMMA blends with PHB contents higher than 50% is observed with various amounts of P(MMA‐g‐HB) copolymer. In these blends, the graft copolymer is not able to prevent PHB crystallization, and the ternary PHB/PMMA/P(MMA‐g‐HB) blends remain crystalline and brittle. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1390–1399, 2002     

用双硫酯链转移法合成嵌段聚合物

研究了以双硫酯为链转移剂进行的均聚和嵌段共聚物的合成 .首先合成大分子链转移剂 ,得到分子量可控、多分散性系数较小的均聚物PMMA、PBMA、PEMA、PEA、PBA、PMA、PSt,多分散性系数一般小于 1 30 .在相同的条件下 ,甲基丙烯酸酯类的聚合速度最快 ,苯乙烯其次 ,丙烯酸酯类最慢 .用末端带有双硫酯基团的PSt、PBMA、PBA为链转移剂 ,加入多种第二单体聚合得到实测分子量与理论分子量接近 ,且多分散性系数较小的两嵌段聚合物 .在链转移剂和引发剂的比例为 3∶1～ 6∶1的范围内 ,聚苯乙烯同样可以作为第一嵌段得到和其它酯类单体的两嵌段聚合物 .1 H NMR方法证明了聚合物的末端带有双硫酯基团 .嵌段聚合时必须加入微量的自由基引发剂以形成大分子自由基 ,达到较好的控制聚合效果     

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     

Direct synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers, consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) blocks through atom transfer radical polymerization

Amphiphilic block copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and sodium styrene sulfonate (SSNa) were successfully synthesized via direct atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of SSNa. First, poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) (PSSNa) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) macroinitiators were prepared using proper ATRP systems for each case. In some cases, functional initiators, which allow further reactions, were used. The macroinitiators were characterized and further used to synthesize PSSNa/PMMA block copolymers, by using proper solvent combinations, such as N,N-dimethylformamide/water or methanol/water at appropriate volume ratios, in order to ensure solubility of the synthesized amphiphilic copolymers. The molecular weight of the copolymers was determined by gel permeation chromatography, using water as eluent. By using a combination of analytical techniques like ¹H NMR, FTIR and thermogravimetry, the chemical structure and the actual copolymer composition were determined. Since, the block copolymers were soluble in water, forming hydrophilic/hydrophobic domains in aqueous solution, their micellization behavior was further studied by pyrene fluorescence probing.     

Synthesis and properties of copolymers of methyl methacrylate with 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluoro and 4‐trifluoromethyl 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro styrenes: An intrachain interaction between methyl ester and fluoro aromatic moieties

2,3,4,5,6‐Pentafluoro and 4‐trifluoromethyl 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro styrenes were readily copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) by a free radical initiator. The copolymers were soluble in tetrahydrofuran and acetone. The films obtained were transparent and flexible. The glass transition temperatures (T_gs) of the copolymers were found positively deviated from the Gordon–Taylor equation. The positive deviation could be accounted for by dipole–dipole intrachain interaction between the methyl ester group of MMA and the highly fluorinated aromatic moiety, which resulted in a decrease in the segmental mobility of the polymer chains and the enhanced T_g values of the copolymers. The water absorption of PMMA was greatly decreased by copolymerization of MMA with the highly fluorinated styrenes. With as little as 10 mol % of pentafluoro styrene content in the copolymer, the water absorption was decreased to one‐third of that for pure PMMA. The fluorinated styrenes‐MMA copolymers were thermally stable up to 420 °C under air and nitrogen atmospheres. With 50 mol % of MMA in the copolymer, the copolymer was still stable up to 350 °C. Since these copolymers contain a large number of fluorine atoms, the light absorption in the region of the visible to near infrared is decreased in comparison with nonfluorinated polymers. Thus, these copolymers may be suitable for application in optical devices, such as optical fibers and waveguides. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Synthesis of a novel liquid crystal rod–coil star block copolymer consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly{2,5‐bis[(4‐methoxy‐phenyl)oxycarbonyl] styrene} via atom transfer radical polymerization

A bromine capped star‐shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) (S‐PMMA‐Br) was synthesized with CuBr/sparteine/PT‐Br as a catalyst and initiator to polymerize methyl methacrylate (MMA) according to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Then, with S‐PMMA‐Br as a macroinitiator, a series of new liquid crystal rod–coil star block copolymers with different molecular weights and low polydispersity were obtained by this method. The block architecture {coil‐conformation of the MMA segment and rigid‐rod conformation of 2,5‐bis[(4‐methoxyphenyl)oxycarbonyl] styrene segment} of the four‐armed rod–coil star block copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR. The liquid‐crystalline behavior of these copolymers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. We found that the liquid‐crystalline behavior depends on the molecular weight of the rigid segment; only the four‐armed rod–coil star block copolymers with each arm's M_n,_GPC of the rigid block beyond 0.91 × 10⁴ g/mol could form liquid‐crystalline phases above the glass‐transition temperature of the rigid block. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 733–741, 2005     

Fabrication of metallized nanoporous films from the self-assembly of a block copolymer and homopolymer mixture

Inorganic compound HAuCl4, which can form a complex with pyridine, is introduced into a poly(styrene-block-2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) homopolymer mixture. The orientation of the cylindrical microdomains formed by the P2VP block, PMMA, and HAuCl4 normal to the substrate surface can be generated via cooperative self-assembly of the mixture. Selective removal of the homopolymer can lead to porous nanostructures containing metal components in P2VP domains, which have a novel photoluminescence property.     

Using neutron reflectivity to determine the dynamic properties of a copolymer in a homopolymer matrix

A protocol for using neutron reflectivity to monitor the dynamic properties of a copolymer in a homopolymer matrix is described. This technique may be used to monitor a broad range of systems, as long as the copolymer and homopolymer form a miscible blend at low copolymer concentrations. Moreover, with knowledge of the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter between the copolymer and homopolymer, the molecular dynamic parameters of the copolymer, such as the tracer diffusion coefficient, segmental friction factor, and longest relaxation time, can be quantitatively determined. This technique is demonstrated by the determination of these parameters for a series of styrene/methyl methacrylate alternating copolymers dispersed in a matrix of deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate). Interestingly, the segmental friction factor of these alternating copolymers is significantly different from that of similar diblock copolymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3235–3247, 2004     

Ambient temperature ATRP of benzyl methacrylate as a tool for the synthesis of block copolymers with styrene

The rapid atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of benzyl methacrylate (BnMA) at ambient temperature was used to synthesize block copolymers with styrene as the second monomer. Various block copolymers such as AB diblock, BAB symmetric and asymmetric triblock, and ABABA pentablock copolymers were synthesized in which the polymerization of one of the blocks namely BnMA was performed at ambient temperature. It is demonstrated that the block copolymerization can be performed in a controlled manner, regardless of the sequence of monomer addition via halogen exchange technique. Using this reaction condition, the composition (ratio) of one block (here BnMA) can be varied from 1 to 100. It is further demonstrated that in the multiblock copolymer syntheses involving styrene and benzyl methacrylate, it is better to start from the PS macroinitiator compared with PBnMA macroinitiator. The polymers synthesized are relatively narrow dispersed (<1.5). It is identified that the ATRP of BnMA is limited to certain molecular weights of the PS macroinitiator. Additionally, a preliminary report about the synthesis of the block copolymer of BnMA‐methyl methacrylate (MMA), both at ambient temperature, is demonstrated. Subsequent deprotection of the benzyl group using Pd/C? H₂ results in methacrylic acid (MAA)–methyl methacrylate (MAA–MMA) amphiphilic block copolymer. GPC, IR, and NMR are used to characterize the synthesized polymers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2848–2861, 2006