Graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate from silica initiated by peroxide groups introduced onto the surface

The surface grafting onto ultrafine silica by the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by peroxide groups introduced onto the surface was investigated. The introduction of peroxide groups onto the silica surface was achieved by the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with chlorosilyl groups, which were introduced by the treatment of silica with thionyl chloride. The content of diisopropylbenzene peroxide and tert-butyl peroxide groups introduced onto the silica according to the above method was determined to be 0.11 and 0.08 mmol/g, respectively. It was found that the polymerization of MMA is initiated by silica having these peroxide groups. In the polymerization, polyMMA was grafted onto silica surface: the percentage of grafting reached about 70%. Therefore, it was concluded that the polymerization of MMA is initiated by surface radicals formed by the decomposition of peroxide groups on silica and polyMMA is grafted through the propagation from the surface. During the polymerization, ungrafted polyMMA was also formed because of the formation of initiator fragments by the decomposition of peroxide groups: the grafting efficiency of the graft polymerization was 30–40%. PolyMMA-grafted silica produced a stable colloidal dispersion in organic solvents for polyMMA. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Grafting of polymers onto carbon whisker by anionic graft polymerization of vinyl monomers using metallized aromatic rings and/or phenoxy lithium groups on the surface as initiator

During the anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by n-butyl-lithium (n-BuLi) in the presence of carbon whisker, PMMA was found to be grafted onto the surface depending on the propagation from OLi groups, which are produced by the reaction of oxygen containing groups on the surface with n-BuLi. But no grafting of polystyrene was observed at all. By the activation of OLi groups by the addition of crown ether, however, the grafting of polystyrene onto the carbon whisker was achieved. On the other hand, it was found that metallized carbon whisker also initiates the anionic graft polymerization of MMA and styrene: percentage of grafting of PMMA and polystyrene reached 231.3 and 157.9%, respectively. The metalation of carbon whisker was achieved by the treatment with n-BuLi in aprotic polar solvents, such as N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene-diamine or hexamethylphosphorous triamide, and in toluene in the presence of complexing agent of cation such as crown ether or a small amount of aprotic solvent. In the polymerization, grafted polymer chains were considered to propagate both from metallized aromatic rings and from OLi groups. The polymer-grafted carbon whisker gave a stable colloidal dispersion in organic solvents.     

Photografting of vinyl polymers onto ultrafine inorganic particles: Photopolymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by AZO groups introduced onto these surfaces

The photografting of polymers onto ultrafine inorganic particles, such as silica and titanium oxide, initiated by azo groups introduced onto these surfaces was investigated. The introduction of azo groups onto the particles was achieved by the reaction of 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid) with surface isocyanate groups, which were introduced by the treatment with tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate. It was found that the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers, such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene, and N-vinylcarbazole, is initiated by ultrafine particles having azo groups. The corresponding polymers were effectively grafted onto these surfaces through the propagation of the polymer from the surface radicals formed by the photodecomposition of the azo groups: e.g., the percentage of grafting of PMMA and polystyrene onto silica was reached to 112 and 176%, respectively. The percentage of grafting onto silica in the graft polymerization initiated by photodecomposition of surface azo groups was much larger than that initiated by thermal decomposition. Polymer-grafted ultrafine particles thus obtained gave a stable colloidal dispersion in good solvents for the grafted chain. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymer grafting onto carbon black by use of TEMPO-terminated polystyrene with controlled molecular weight

The grafting of polystyrene with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution onto the carbon black surface through the trapping of polymer radicals formed by the thermal dissociation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO)-terminated polystyrene (PSt-TEMPO) by the carbon black surface was investigated. PSt-TEMPO was prepared by living radical polymerization of St with the benzoyl peroxide/TEMPO system. When PSt having no terminal TEMPO moiety was heated with carbon black, no grafting of PSt onto the surface was observed. On the contrary, by the heating of PSt-TEMPO with carbon black in m-xylene at 125°C, PSt with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution was grafted onto the surface: the percentage grafting of PSt (M_n = 3.2 × 10³;M_w/M_n = 1.07) onto furnace black was determined to be 16.0%. On the basis of the above results, it is concluded that PSt radicals formed by the thermal dissociation of the C ON bond between PSt and TEMPO are trapped by polycondensed aromatic rings of carbon black. The mole number of grafted PSt chains on the carbon black surface decreased with increasing molecular weight of PSt-TEMPO. PSt-grafted carbon black gave a stable colloidal dispersion in THF. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3165–3172, 1998     

Effect of polymerization conditions on the molecular weight of polystyrene grafted onto silica in the radical graft polymerization initiated by azo or peroxyester groups introduced onto the surface

The effect of polymerization conditions on the molecular weight of polystyrene grafted onto silica obtained from the radical graft polymerization initiated by azo and peroxyester groups introduced onto the surface was investigated. The molecular weight of polystyrene grafted onto silica obtained from the radical graft polymerization initiated by surface azo and peroxyester groups decreased with decreasing monomer concentration and polymerization temperature. The molecular weight of polystyrene was found to be controlled to some extent by the addition of a chain transfer agent. The molecular weight of grafted chain on silica surface obtained from the graft polymerization initiated by surface radicals formed by photodecomposition of azo groups was considerably smaller than that by thermal decomposition. The number of grafted polystyrene in photopolymeriztion, however, was much larger than that in thermal polymerization. These results are explained by the blocking of surface radicals formed on the silica surface by previously grafted polymer chain: when the decomposition of surface azo and peroxyester groups proceed instantaneously at the initial stage of the polymerization, the number of grafted polymer chains increased.     

Living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by the carboxyl group of the carbon black/zinc chloride initiating system

The effect of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) on the cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) initiated by carboxyl groups on a carbon black surface was investigated. Although the polymerization of IBVE was initiated by carboxyl groups on the surface, the rate of polymerization was small and the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of poly IBVE was very broad. The rate of the polymerization was found to be drastically increased, and 100% monomer conversion was achieved in a short time by the addition of ZnCl₂. The number-average molecular weights (M_n) of the polyIBVE were directly proportional to monomer conversion in the polymerization initiated by the carbon black/ZnCl₂ system. By addition of the monomer at the end of the first-stage polymerization, the added monomer was smoothly polymerized at the same rate as in the first stage. The M_n of the polymer was in excellent agreement with the calculated value, assuming the polyIBVE chain forms per unit carboxyl group on the surface and MWD was narrow (M_w/M_n = 1.2 ～ 1.3). Based on the results, it is concluded that carbon black/ZnCl₂ system has an ability to initiate the living cationic polymerization of IBVE. Furthermore, it was found that polyIBVE was grafted onto the carbon black surface after the quenching of the living polymer with methanol. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by 10-methylphenothiazine cation radicals

A small quantity of 10-methylphenothiazine cation radical (MPT^.+), electrochemically prepared and stocked in acetonitrile solution, initiated cationic polymerizations of n-butyl, t-butyl, and 2-methoxyethyl vinyl ethers and p-methoxystyrene, while no initiation occurred for phenyl vinyl ether, styrene, methyl methacrylate, and phenyl glycidyl ether. ¹H-NMR studies of oligomers and low molecular weight compounds isolated from the reaction mixture for the polymerization of t-butyl vinyl ether in the presence of a small amount of D₂O indicated that electron transfer from the monomer to MPT^.+ was involved in the initiation step. ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR and MO calculation implied that monomers with higher electron densities on the vinyl groups and with lower ionization potentials were more susceptible to the initiation of MPT^.+. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of new hybrid monomers and oligomers containing cationic and radical polymerizable vinyl groups and their photoinitiated polymerization

New hybrid vinyl monomers with both cationic- and radical-polymerizable vinyl groups were synthesized by the reaction of bis[1(chloromethyl)-2-(vinyloxy)ethyl]terephthalate ( 3 ) with unsaturated carboxylic acids using 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undecene-7 (DBU) as a base. The reaction of 3 with methacrylic acid 4a was carried out using DBU in DMSO at 70°C for 24 h to give an 86% yield of the hybrid vinyl monomer ( 5a ). Polycondensation of 3 with unsaturated dicarboxylic acids was also performed using DBU to give hybrid vinyl oligomers with radical polymerizable C (DOUBLE BOND) C groups (V_R) in the main chain and cationic polymerizable vinyl ether moieties (V_C) on the side chain. The photopolymerization of these hybrid vinyl compounds proceeded smoothly in bulk using either a cationic photoinitiator such as a sulfonium salt or a radical photoinitiator such as acyl phosphine oxide under UV irradiation. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and radical polymerization of spiro orthocarbonates bearing exomethylene groups

Synthesis and radical polymerization of spiro orthocarbonates (SOCs) bearing exomethylene groups at the α to the ether oxygen ( 1a–1e ) were studied. SOCs 1a–1e were prepared by the successive reactions of dichlorodiphenoxymethane with two different diols followed by dehydrochlorination. Radical polymerization of the SOCs was carried out in the presence of an appropriate initiator (3 mol % versus monomer) at 130 and 180°C. The obtained polymer insoluble in n-hexane contained both vinyl polymerization unit 13 and double ring-opening polymerization unit 14 (ketone-carbonates). The degree of ring-opening followed the order: 1a <1b < 1d, 1e . n-Hexane-insoluble polymer was not obtained in the polymerization of 1c . Both steric hindrance of methyl group and ring size affected the degree of ring-opening. The introduction of methyl group into SOC increased the degree of ring-opening ( 1a <1b ), whereas the degree of ring-opening of either 1d , consisting of six- and seven-membered rings, and 1e , consisting of two seven-membered rings, was higher than those of 1a and 1b , consisting of five and seven-membered rings. From the molecular orbital calculation (PM3, UHF method), it was concluded that if the first single ring-opening occurs, then the successive second ring-opening takes place more smoothly. The first ring-opening requires more energy than the vinyl polymerization does. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Grafting of polyesters from carbon whisker surface: Copolymerization of epoxides with cyclic acid anhydrides initiated by COOK groups introduced onto the surface

To modify the surface of carbon whisker (vapor-grown carbon fiber) the grafting of polyesters by use of potassium carboxylate (COOK) groups introduced onto the surface was investigated. The introduction of COOK groups onto the carbon whisker was achieved by the treatment of surface carboxyl groups with KOH aqueous solution. Untreated carbon whisker has no ability to initiate the polymerization. It was found that the anionic ring-opening alternating copolymerization of epoxides with cyclic acid anhydrides is successfully initiated by COOK groups on the carbon whisker surface. The corresponding polyester was grafted onto the surface based on the propagation of polymer from COOK groups introduced on the surface. The percentage of grafting of the polyester from styrene oxide and phthalic anhydride was determined to be 91.0%. The polymerization rate and percentage of grafting increased upon addition of crown ether. Furthermore, the rate of polymerization increased with increasing the dielectric constant of the solvent, but the percentage of grafting decreased. Polyester-grafted carbon whisker was found to give a stable colloidal dispersion in a good solvent for the grafted polymer. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Controlled free radical polymerization of styrene initiated from the alkoxyamine-functionalized silicon surface

Manipulation of surface properties of wafer is im- portant in technologies of biotechnology and advanced microelectronics[1,2]. A number of methods have been developed to modify the surface properties[3]. Among them, polymer brush is a well recognized met…     

Scale-up synthesis of vinyl polymer-grafted nano-sized silica by radical polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by surface initiating groups in the solvent-free dry-system

For the purpose of the prevention of the environmental pollution and the simplification of reaction process, the scale-up radical graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto nano-sized silica surface initiated by azo groups and peroxycarbonate groups previously introduced onto the surface in the solvent-free dry-system was investigated. The introduction of azo groups onto the silica surface was achieved by the reaction of surface amino groups with 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid chloride). On the other hand, the introduction of peroxycarbonate groups onto the silica surface was achieved by Michael addition of surface amino groups to t-butylperoxy-2-methacryloyloxyethylcarbonate. The graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto the surface was successfully achieved by splaying monomers to nano-sized silica having azo and peroxycarbonate groups in solvent-free dry-system. It is interesting to note that the formation of ungrafted polymer was depressed in comparison with graft polymerization in solution: the grafting efficiency was 90-95%. In addition, in the solvent-free dry-system, the grafting of copolymer having pendant peroxycarbonate groups onto the nano-sized silica surface and the radical postgraft polymerization of styrene initiated by the pendant initiating groups of the grafted copolymer chain on the silica surface was investigated.     

The cationic polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone initiated electrochemically by anodic polarization on a Pt surface

The electroinitiated polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone has been investigated. After electrolysis at controlled potential, a thin, covering, and homogeneous film of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) appears on the electrode. The insolubility of the polymer in its classical solvents implies the existence of a true chemical grafting of macromolecules on the platinum surface. Chain propagation occurs by a cationic mechanism initiated by a direct electron transfer leading to grafted cations on the surface, followed by the nucleophilic attack of neutral molecules. The molecular weight of the polymer was estimated by gel permeation chromatography after having mechanically removed the film from the electrode. A molecular weight distribution curve showing an average value of 16,000 was observed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Star-shaped polymers by living cationic polymerization. VII. Amphiphilic graft polymers of vinyl ethers with hydroxyl groups: Synthesis and host–guest interaction

Amphiphilic graft polymers of vinyl ethers (VEs) ( 6 ) where each branch consists of a hydrophilic polyalcohol and a hydrophobic poly(alkyl vinyl ether) segment were prepared on the basis of living cationic polymerization, and their properties and functions were compared with the corresponding amphiphilic star-shaped polymers. In toluene at ?15°C, the HI/ZnI₂-initiated living block polymer 2 of an ester-containing VE (CH₂? CHOCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃) and isobutyl VE (IBVE) was terminated with the diethyl 2-(vinyloxy)ethylmalonate anion [ 3 ; ^ΦC(COOEt)₂CH₂CH₂OCH ? CH₂] ( 2/3 = 1/2 mole ratio) to give a macromonomer ( 4 ), H[CH₂CH(OCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃)] _m-[CH₂CH(OiBu)]_n? C(COOEt)₂CH₂CH₂OCH ? CH₂ (m = 5, n = 15; M?_n = 2600, M?_w/M?_n = 1.13, 1.10 vinyl groups/chain). Subsequently, 4 was homopolymerized with HI/ZnI₂ in toluene at ?15°C. In 3 h, 85% of 4 was consumed and a graft polymer ( 5 ) was obtained [M?_w = 15000, DP_n (for 4 ) = 6]. The apparent M?_w (10,900) of 5 by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is smaller than that by light scattering as well as that (18,300) by SEC of the corresponding linear polymer with the almost same molecular weight, indicating the formation of a multi-branched structure. Hydrolysis of the pendant esters in 5 gave the amphiphilic graft polymer 6 where each branch consists of a hydrophilic polyalcohol and a hydrophobic poly(IBVE) segment. The graft polymer 6 was found to interact specifically with small organic molecules (guests) with polar functional groups, and 6 differed in solubility and host-guest interaction from the corresponding star-shaped polymer. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of free secondary amine bearing monomers by RAFT polymerization and other controlled radical techniques

This work describes the polymerization of the free secondary amine bearing monomer 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐4‐yl methacrylate (TMPMA) by means of different controlled radical polymerization techniques (ATRP, RAFT, NMP). In particular, reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization enabled a good control at high conversions and a polydispersity index below 1.3, thereby enabling the preparation of well‐defined polymers. Remarkably, the polymerization of the secondary amine bearing methacrylate monomer was not hindered by the presence of the free amine that commonly induces degradation of the RAFT reagent. Subsequent oxidation of the polymer yielded the polyradical poly(2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy‐4‐yl methacrylate), which represents a valuable material used in catalysis as well as for modern batteries. The obtained polymers having a molar mass (M_n) of 10,000–20,000 g/mol were used to fabricate well‐defined, radical‐bearing polymer films by inkjet‐ printing. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Generation of radical species on polypropylene by alkylborane‐oxygen system and its application to graft polymerization

Graft polymerization of ethyl acrylate and n‐butyl acrylate onto surface of polypropylene (PP) beads (diameter: 3.2 mm) were carried out by using a redox system composed of triethylborane (Et₃B) and molecular oxygen in air. The amounts of the grafted polymers increased by prolonging a period of soaking PP beads in a solution of Et₃B in hexane, a less polar solvent of which affinity with PP would be higher than that of tetrahydrofuran, a highly polar solvent. These results implied that the present graft polymerization involved: (1) interpenetration of Et₃B into the surface area with the aid of hexane as a solvent, (2) its aerobic oxidation to generate a radical species, (3) abstraction of proton from PP by the radical species, and (4) initiation of polymerization from the resulting radical on the PP surface. Besides the acrylates, acrylic acid, and glycidyl methacrylate were also grafted onto the surface of PP to endow it with carboxyl and epoxy moieties, respectively. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6163–6167, 2009     

Amine activators for the “cool” peroxide initiated polymerization of acrylic monomers

Two tertiary amines with a chemical structure rather similar to dimethyl-4-toluidine have been prepared and tested as activators for the free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate. 4-Dimethylaminobenzyl alcohol, DMOH, was synthesized by reduction of the corresponding benzaldehyde. 4-Dimethylaminobenzyl methacrylate, DMMO, was synthesized by condensation of methacryloyl chloride with DMOH in the presence of triethylamine as catalyst. Kinetic studies of the bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by the redox system BPO–amine have been carried out by differential scanning calorimetry at different temperatures in the interval 30–40°C. An increase of the overall rate constant, k, with increasing temperature was observed for all redox systems. The system BPO/DMT gave the highest values of k. The polymerizations catalyzed by DMOH and DMMO respectively gave lower values of the overall Arrhenius activation than that obtained with DMT. DMMO may participate in the polymerization not only as activator but also as an acrylic derivative which can be incorporated into the polymeric growing chains during the propagation step of the free radical polymerization. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic studies of surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization in the synthesis of magnetic fluids

We present results from kinetic studies on the surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization in the preparation of polymer brush‐coated magnetic particles from a heterogeneous system. It is shown that a controlled reaction behavior and a reproducible surface functionalization with end‐tethered polymers are achieved, although the reaction advances gradually from a biphasic solid–liquid mixture to a stable colloidal dispersion of the nanoobjects. Although the initiator‐functional magnetite nanoparticles initially form a precipitate, the formation of a polymer layer on the particle surface in the course of the reaction contributes to a sterical stabilization in dispersion. We thoroughly investigated the development of the initial heterogeneous system with time and in various concentration regimes by simultaneously monitoring the monomer conversion, molar mass, the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoobjects, and the magnetite content of the dispersions at different reaction times. The results indicate first‐order chain growth kinetics with respect to the monomer and narrow molar mass distributions, demonstrating good control on the particle architecture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009     

Improving the knowledge and design of end groups in polymers produced by free radical polymerization

Several techniques have been used to probe polymer end groups. The nitroxide radical trapping technique has been used (i) to show that initiator-derived unsaturated end groups in polymethyl methacrylate can be minimized by using t-hexyl peroxypivalate as the initiator (ii) to predict the end and penultimate groups in acrylonitrile/ethyl vinyl ether copolymer produced by t-butoxyl initiation by analogy with the initiation mechanism (iii) to predict probable end groups in polyacrylonitrile and polystyrene produced by cyanoisopropyl initiation in the presence of adventitious oxygen. NMR techniques have been used to show that the end groups of functionalized oligomers, made from styrene and methacrylonitrile by the addition-fragmentation chain transfer technique with allylic sulphides, conform to the expected structures. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.