UV curing of a novel resin derived from poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The synthesis and characterization of photopolymerizable unsaturated polyester resins based on PET waste are described. The resins came from a depolymerization process based on the glycolysis of PET by diethylene glycol (DEG). Different molecular weights of glycolysates were synthesized. Then, the latter was functionalized by a methyl hemiester of maleic acid to obtain unsatured α,ω‐bismaleate PET oligomers. In the presence of an electron donor monomer, such as triethylene glycol divinyl ether, these electron acceptor oligomers were copolymerized by way of charge‐transfer complexes under UV irradiation. The reaction was monitored in situ by real‐time IR spectroscopy to study the kinetics of photopolymerization. This one was studied in relation with the physical and chemical characteristics of oligoesters and the composition of mixtures containing divinyl ethers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1324–1335, 2007     

Cyclic and telechelic ladder polymers derived from tetrahydroxytetramethylspirobisindane and 1,4‐dicyanotetrafluorobenzene

5,5′,6,6′‐Tetrahydroxy‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethylspirobisindane was polycondensed with 1,4‐dicyanotetrafluorobenzene in four different solvents at 70 °C. In dimethylformamide, N‐methylpyrrolidone, and sulfolane exclusively, cyclic polymers were detectable by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry up to masses around 13,000 Da. In dimethyl sulfoxide, linear byproducts were also found. Higher temperatures caused degradation reactions catalyzed by potassium carbonate. Polycondensations performed with the addition of 4‐tert‐butyl catechol or 2,2′‐dihydroxy binaphthyl yielded linear telechelic oligomers. Equimolar mixtures of linear and cyclic ladder polymers were examined by MALDI‐TOF mass spectra to determine how the end groups and the cyclic structure influenced the signal‐to‐noise ratio. The results suggested a preferential detection of the linear chains. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5344–5352, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of mid‐ and end‐chain functional telechelics by controlled polymerization methods and coupling processes

Well‐defined polystyrene‐ (PSt) or poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)‐based polymers containing mid‐ or end‐chain 2,5 or 3,5‐ dibromobenzene moieties were prepared by controlled polymerization methods, such as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) or ring opening polymerization (ROP). 1,4‐Dibromo‐2‐(bromomethyl)benzene, 1,3‐dibromo‐5‐(bromomethyl)benzene, and 1,4‐dibromo‐2,5‐di(bromomethyl)benzene were used as initiators in ATRP of styrene (St) in conjunction with CuBr/2,2′‐bipyridine as catalyst. 2,5‐Dibromo‐1,4‐(dihydroxymethyl)benzene initiated the ROP of ε‐caprolactone (CL) in the presence of stannous octoate (Sn(Oct)₂) catalyst. The reaction of these polymers with amino‐ or aldehyde‐functionalized monoboronic acids, in Suzuki‐type couplings, afforded the corresponding telechelics. Further functionalization with oxidable groups such as 2‐pyrrolyl or 1‐naphthyl was attained by condensation reactions of the amino or aldehyde groups with low molecular weight aldehydes or amines, respectively, with the formation of azomethine linkages. Preliminary attempts for the synthesis of fully conjugated poly(Schiff base) with polymeric segments as substituents, by oxidative polymerization of the macromonomers, are presented. All the starting, intermediate, or final polymers were structurally analyzed by spectral methods (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR). © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 727–743, 2006     

Synthesis of poly(vinyl chloride)‐b‐poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(vinyl chloride) by the competitive single‐electron‐transfer/degenerative‐chain‐transfer‐mediated living radical polymerization in water

The synthesis of a block copolymer poly(vinyl chloride)‐b‐poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(vinyl chloride) is reported. This new material was synthesized by single‐electron‐transfer/degenerative‐chain‐transfer‐mediated living radical polymerization (SET‐DTLRP) in two steps. First, a bifunctional macroinitiator of α,ω‐di(iodo)poly (butyl acrylate) [α,ω‐di(iodo)PBA] was synthesized by SET‐DTLRP in water at 25 °C. The macroinitiator was further reinitiated by SET‐DTLRP, leading to the formation of the desired product. This ABA block copolymer was synthesized with high initiator efficiency. The kinetics of the copolymerization reaction was studied for two PBA macroinitiators with number–average molecular weight of 10 k and 20 k. The relationship between the conversion and the number–average molecular weight was found to be linear. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis suggests just one phase, indicating that copolymer behaves as a single material with no phase separation. This methodology provides the access to several block copolymers and other complex architectures that result from combinations of thermoplastics (PVC) and elastomers (PBA). From industrial standpoint, this process is attractive, because of easy experimental setup and the environmental friendly reaction medium. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3001–3008, 2006     

Single electron transfer–degenerative chain transfer living radical polymerization of N‐butyl acrylate catalyzed by Na2S2O4 in water media

Living radical polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate was achieved by single electron transfer/degenerative‐chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization in water catalyzed by sodium dithionate. The plots of number–average molecular weight versus conversion and ln[M]₀/[M] versus time are linear, indicating a controlled polymerization. This methodology leads to the preparation of α,ω‐di(iodo) poly (butyl acrylate) (α,ω‐di(iodo)PBA) macroinitiators. The influence of polymerization degree ([monomer]/[initiator]), amount of catalyst, concentration of suspending agents and temperature were studied. The molecular weight distributions were determined using a combination of three detectors (TriSEC): right‐angle light scattering (RALLS), a differential viscometer (DV), and refractive index (RI). The methodology studied in this work represents a possible route to prepare well‐tailored macromolecules made of butyl acrylate in an environmental friendly reaction medium. Moreover, such materials can be subsequently functionalized leading to the formation of different block copolymers of composition ABA. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2809–2825, 2006     

Microphase separation in polybenzoxazine thermosets containing benzoxazine-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) telechelics

Benzoxazine-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) telechelics (Ba-terminated PEO) was synthesized and incorporated into polybenzoxazine to obtain the nanostructured thermosets. The morphology of the thermosets was investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The formation of the nanophase structures in the thermosetting composites was addressed on the basis of the mechanism of reaction-induced microphase separation (RIMPS), which was in marked contrast to the case of the binary thermosetting blends of polybenzoxazine with hydroxyl-terminated poly(ethylene oxide). The occurrence of RIMPS resulted from the copolymerization reaction of the end groups of Ba-terminated PEO telechelics with the precursor of thermosetting matrix (i.e., benzoxazine), which suppressed the occurrence of the macroscopic phase separation. It was found that the formation of the nanostructures has a significant effect on the melting behavior of PEO in the thermosets, thermal transition properties of the PBZ thermosets.     

Dicarboxylic acid promoted immortal copolymerization for controllable synthesis of low‐molecular weight oligo(carbonate‐ether) diols with tunable carbonate unit content

Low‐molecular weight oligo(carbonate‐ether) diols are important raw materials for polyurethane formation, which with tunable carbonate unit content (CU) may endow new thermal and mechanical performances to polyurethane. Herein, facile synthesis of oligo(carbonate‐ether) diols with number average molecular weight (M_n) below 2000 g mol^?1 and CU tunable between 40% and 75% are realized in high activity by immortal copolymerization of CO₂/propylene oxide (PO) using zinc‐cobalt double metal cyanide complex (Zn‐Co‐DMCC) in the presence of sebacic acid (SA). M_n of the oligomer is in good linear relationship to the mole ratio of PO and SA (PO/SA) and hence can be precisely controlled by adjusting PO/SA. Besides, the molecular weight distribution is quite narrow due to the rapid reversible chain transfer in the immortal copolymerization. High pressure and low temperature are favorable for raising CU. In all the reactions, the weight fraction of propylene carbonate (W_PC) can even be controlled as low as 2.0 wt %, and the catalytic activity of Zn‐Co‐DMCC is above 1.0 kgg^?1 cat. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

End group transformations of RAFT‐generated polymers with bismaleimides: Functional telechelics and modular block copolymers

End group activation of polymers prepared by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was accomplished by conversion of thiocarbonylthio end groups to thiols and subsequent reaction with excess of a bismaleimide. Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was prepared by RAFT, and subsequent aminolysis led to sulfhydryl‐terminated polymers that reacted with an excess of 1,8‐bismaleimidodiethyleneglycol to yield maleimido‐terminated macromolecules. The maleimido end groups allowed near‐quantitative coupling with model low molecular weight thiols or dienes by Michael addition or Diels‐Alder reactions, respectively. Reaction of maleimide‐activated PNIPAM with another thiol‐terminated polymer proved an efficient means of preparing block copolymers by a modular coupling approach. Successful end group functionalization of the well‐defined polymers was confirmed by combination of UV–vis, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. The general strategy proved to be versatile for the preparation of functional telechelics and modular block copolymers from RAFT‐generated (co)polymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5093–5100, 2008     

Synthesis of α,ω‐di(iodo)PVC and of four‐arm star PVC with identical active chain ends by SET‐DTLRP of VC initiated with bifunctional and tetrafunctional initiators

Na₂S₂O₄‐catalyzed single‐electron transfer – degenerative chain transfer‐mediated living radical polymerization (SET‐DTLRP) of VC initiated with the bifunctional initiators 1,2‐bis(iodopropionyloxy)ethane, dimethyl 2,5‐diiodohexanedioate, and bis(2‐methoxyethyl)‐2,5‐diiodohexanedioate as well as the tetrafunctional initiator pentaerythritol tetrakis(2‐iodopropionate) is reported. This SET‐DTLRP was performed in water at ambient temperature in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose surfactants and provides methods for the synthesis of α,ω‐di(iodo)PVC with two identical active chain ends and of four‐arm star PVC with four identical active chain ends. These difunctional and tetrafunctional derivatives of PVC are also macroinitiators for the synthesis of ABA triblock copolymers and four‐arm star block copolymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 635–652, 2009