Chain transfer to solvent in the radical polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide |
| |
| Authors: | Yusuke Sugihara Padraig O'connor Per B Zetterlund Fawaz Aldabbagh |
| |
| Institution: | 1. School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland;2. Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia |
| |
| Abstract: | Chain transfer to solvent has been investigated in the conventional radical polymerization and nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization (NMP) of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) at 120 °C. The extent of chain transfer to DMF can significantly impact the maximum attainable molecular weight in both systems. Based on a theoretical treatment, it has been shown that the same value of chain transfer to solvent constant, Ctr,S, in DMF at 120 °C (within experimental error) can account for experimental molecular weight data for both conventional radical polymerization and NMP under conditions where chain transfer to solvent is a significant end‐forming event. In NMP (and other controlled/living radical polymerization systems), chain transfer to solvent is manifested as the number‐average molecular weight (Mn) going through a maximum value with increasing monomer conversion. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011 |
| |
| Keywords: | kinetics (polym ) living radical polymerization (LRP) molecular weight distribution/molar mass distribution radical polymerization |
|
|
