Atom transfer radical polymerisation of unusual monomers

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Controlled free radical polymerisation techniques offer several practical andtheoretical advantages compared to many other polymerisation techniques. Livingpolymerisation techniques such as anionic polymerisations require the total exclusionof impurities such as oxygen and moisture. Controlled free radical polymerisations,however, do not require such stringent methods of practice. This is very advantageousfor industrial purposes.Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation (ATRP) is a form of a controlled/living freeradical polymerisation technique by which one is able to synthesize controlledarchitectural structures and predetermine the molecular weights of macromolecules.The monomers that were investigated for this research project include methylmethacrylate (MMA), 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA). Thelatter two monomers (4VP and LMA) are not commonly used in ATRP-mediatedreactions. The synthesis of block copolymers ofMMA and LMA were attempted. Thehomopolymerisation of 4VP did not give the control expected when polymerising bymeans of ATRP. This prompted an investigation into possible side reactions thatcould take place with 4VP in this specific ATRP system. This included possiblequatemization of 4VP with the alkyl halide initiator species.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University