Synthesis of uniform polymer microspheres with "living" character using ppm levels of copper catalyst : ARGET atom transfer radical precipitation polymerisation

Bicak, Tugrul Cem and Cormack, Peter A.G. and Walker, Calum (2021) Synthesis of uniform polymer microspheres with "living" character using ppm levels of copper catalyst : ARGET atom transfer radical precipitation polymerisation. Reactive and Functional Polymers, 163. 104891. ISSN 1381-5148 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2021.104...)

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Abstract

The first example of activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerisation (ARGET ATRP) under precipitation polymerisation (PP) conditions is reported. This new method for polymer synthesis (called ARGET ATRPP) requires only very low levels of metal catalyst for success, a distinctive feature that enables the production of uniform polymer microspheres under reversible-deactivation radical polymerisation control. The influence of the polymerisation conditions (monomer concentration, reaction time, initiator and catalyst concentrations) on the polymerisations and microsphere products were investigated and optimised. The ARGET ATRPP methodology was used to prepare polymer microspheres with narrow particle size distributions and mean particle diameters in the micron-size range, under dilute monomer conditions (2%) whilst using very low copper catalyst concentrations (down to 1.7 ppm). The "living" characteristics of the polymer microspheres enabled poly(methyl methacrylate) brushes to be grafted-from the microspheres directly without the need for any additional surface functionalisation step to immobilise initiator moieties.

ORCID iDs

Bicak, Tugrul Cem, Cormack, Peter A.G. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3390-8176 and Walker, Calum;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:75958
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    30 June 2021
    Published
    26 March 2021
    Published Online
    22 March 2021
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Chemistry
    Department:Faculty of Science > Pure and Applied Chemistry
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:25 Mar 2021 16:23
    Last modified:13 Nov 2024 18:05
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/75958
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