Visualization of arborescent architecture of polystyrenes prepared by raft‐based initiator‐monomer polymerization using atomic force microscopy |
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| Authors: | Andrew J Heidenreich Judit E Puskas Michel Schappacher Emmanuel Ibarboure Alain Deffieux |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325;2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325;3. Laboratoire de Chimie Des Polymères Organiques, Université de Bordeaux I, Bordeaux 33607, France |
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| Abstract: | This article presents the utilization of “molecular amplification” to visualize the molecular architecture of “arborescent” (tree‐like) polystyrenes (arbPSs) using atomic force microscopy (AFM). arbPSs with Mn > 80,000 g/mol were synthesized via initiator‐monomer‐type (inimer) RAFT polymerization of styrene mediated by 4‐vinylbenzyl dithiobenzoate in bulk. These arbPS were then used as macrochain transfer agents for polymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride (VBCl) to give arborescent poly(styrene‐block‐vinylbenzyl chloride) (arbPS‐b‐VBCl). Poly(styryl) diphenylethyl lithium (Mn = 11,000 g/mol) was then grafted onto the VBCl units of the arbPS‐b‐VBCl. The Mn of the amplified arbPSs increased over >10 million g/mol, exceeding the exclusion limit of our size exclusion chromatography equipment. AFM confirmed the proposed branches on branches architecture in the samples, together with lesser branched species. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012 |
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| Keywords: | atomic force microscopy (AFM) block copolymers branched graft copolymers imaging reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) |
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