Issue 19, 2020

Epoxy-functional diblock copolymer spheres, worms and vesicles via polymerization-induced self-assembly in mineral oil

Abstract

Epoxy-functional diblock copolymer spheres, worms and vesicles are synthesized at 30% w/w solids via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GlyMA) in mineral oil at 70 °C. This is achieved by using a relatively short oil-soluble poly(stearyl methacrylate) (PSMA) macromolecular chain transfer agent (macro-CTA) with a mean degree of polymerization of 9. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) studies indicate that good control over the molecular weight distribution can be obtained and the resulting PSMA9-PGlyMAx nano-objects are characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Oscillatory rheology studies of a 30% w/w PSMA9-PGlyMA75 worm gel indicate that thermally-triggered degelation occurs on heating to 100 °C. TEM studies indicate that a partial worm-to-vesicle transition occurs under such conditions.

Graphical abstract: Epoxy-functional diblock copolymer spheres, worms and vesicles via polymerization-induced self-assembly in mineral oil

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 mars 2020
Accepted
20 avr. 2020
First published
29 avr. 2020

Polym. Chem., 2020,11, 3332-3339

Epoxy-functional diblock copolymer spheres, worms and vesicles via polymerization-induced self-assembly in mineral oil

P. J. Docherty, C. Girou, M. J. Derry and S. P. Armes, Polym. Chem., 2020, 11, 3332 DOI: 10.1039/D0PY00380H

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