Influence of Solvophilic Homopolymers on RAFT
Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly
Zhang, Y (Zhang, Yuan)[ 1 ] ; Han, G (Han, Guang)[ 3 ] ; Cao, MJ (Cao, Mengjiao)[ 1 ] ; Guo, TY (Guo, Tianying)[ 1 ] ; Zhang, WQ (Zhang, Wangqing)[ 1,2 ]
MACROMOLECULES,
2018, 51(11): 4397-4406
DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00690
WOS:000435417800048
Abstract
A new method
to modulate RAFT dispersion polymerization by introducing solvophilic
homopolymers into the polymerization medium is proposed. It is discovered that
in RAFT dispersion polymerization employing poly(4-vinylpyridine)
trithiocarbonate macro-RAFT agent, the introduced solvophilic homopolymers of
poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA), poly(ethylene glycol), and
poly(4-vinylpyridine) can greatly change both the size/morphology of
poly(4-vinylpyridine)-block-polystyrene nanoassemblies and polymerization
kinetics. RAFT dispersion polymerization decelerates with the increasing amount
of introduced PDMA, and it favors formation of complex block copolymer
nanoassemblies in the presence of PDMA. The possible reason for introduced
solvophilic homopolymers affecting polymerization kinetics and the block
copolymer nanoassemblies is discussed. Adding solvophilic homopolymers into the
polymerization medium is believed to be a promising alternative to modulate
RAFT dispersion polymerization.