Block copolymers by free radical

To produce block copolymers by free-radical polymerization, a radical center must be produced at the end of the chain from where fresh chain growth may take place. Two of the ways by which such terminal radicals can be produced are... 

It is possible to prepare block copolymers by free-radical initiation, as R. B. Seymour, G. A. Stahl, D. R. Owent, and H. Wood discuss in their chapter. Methyl methacrylate macroradicals were made with peroxide and azo initiators in diluents, and different vinyl monomers were polymerized onto them. Block copolymers of two ethylene imines, one having a long (lauroyl) side chain and one with a short (propionyl) side chain were synthesized by M. H. Litt and T. Matsuda in a two-step cationic polymerization process. Block and random copolymers of episulfides were prepared by E. Cernia, A. Roggero, A. Mazzei, and M. Bruzzone using anionic catalysts of metalated sulfoxides and sulfones. 

Preparation of Block Copolymers by Free Radical Polymerization... 

To produce block copolymers by free-radical polymerization, a radical center must be produced at the end of the chain from where fresh chain growth may take place. Two of the ways by which such terminal radicals can be produced are (a) decomposition of peroxide groups introduced as an internal part of a polymer chain backbone or as an end group and (b) breaking of C-C bonds in the polymer chain by mechanical means. More recently, the advent of hving or controlled free radical polymerization has opened up a more versatile route to block copolymers by the free radical process. 

Krstina, J., et al. (1995). Narrow polydispersity block copolymers by free-radical polymerization in the presence of macromonomers. Macromolecules, 2i5(15) 5381-5385. 

Polystyrene homopolymer produced by free radical initiators is highly amorphous (Tg = 100°C). The general purpose rubber (SBR), a block copolymer with 75% butadiene, is produced by anionic polymerization. 

Currently, more SBR is produced by copolymerizing the two monomers with anionic or coordination catalysts. The formed copolymer has better mechanical properties and a narrower molecular weight distribution. A random copolymer with ordered sequence can also be made in solution using butyllithium, provided that the two monomers are charged slowly. Block copolymers of butadiene and styrene may be produced in solution using coordination or anionic catalysts. Butadiene polymerizes first until it is consumed, then styrene starts to polymerize. SBR produced by coordinaton catalysts has better tensile strength than that produced by free radical initiators. 

In this section, we review the properties of a series of PNIPAM-b-PEO copolymers with PEO blocks of varying length, with respect to the PNIPAM block. Key features of their solutions will be compared with those of PNIPAM-g-PEO solutions. PNIPAM-b-PEO copolymers were prepared by free-radical polymerisation of NIPAM initiated by macroazoinitiators having PEO chains linked symmetrically at each end of a 2,2/-azobis(isobutyronitrile) derivative [169,170]. The polydispersities of PEOs were low, enabling calculations of the number-average molar mass for each PNIPAM block from analysis of their H-NMR spectra (Table 2). 

It is used in industry for preparing Polyacrylonitrile by free radical polymerisation and polyisobutylene by cationic polymerisation. Block copolymers are prepared exclusively by this technique. 

Graiver, D. Nguyen, B. Hamilton, F. J. Kim, Y. Harwood, H. J. Block Copolymers Containing Silicone and Vinyl Polymer Segments by Free Radical Polymerization. In Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials Clarson, S. J., Fitzgerald, J. J., Owen, M. J., Smith, S. D., Eds. ACS Symposium Series 729 American Chemical Society Washington, DC, 2000 pp 445-459. 

In the presence of monomers, of course, graft and block copolymers are formed. The polymerization is initiated by the macro free radicals generated by mechanical stresses (block copolymers) or by free radicals obtained by intermolecular transfer (graft polymers), such as... 

Ceresa (80) demonstrated the possibility of synthetizing block copolymer by subjecting a starch emulsion with free radical polymerizable monomers to repeated freezing at — 200° C and subsequent thawing to room temperature. He used acrylonitrile owing to the case of separating the insoluble block copolymer fraction, see Table 22. 

The most important hydrocarbon copolymers are styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBR) produced by free-radical emulsion or anionic polymerization. Anionic polymerization allows the manufacture of styrene-butadiene and styrene-isoprene three-block copolymers. 

Graft and block copolymers of cotton cellulose, in fiber, yam, and fabric forms, were prepared by free-radical initiated copolymerization reactions of vinyl monomers with cellulose. The properties of the fibrous cellulose-polyvinyl copolymers were evaluated by solubility, ESR, and infrared spectroscopy, light, electron, and scanning electron microscopy, fractional separation, thermal analysis, and physical properties, including textile properties. Generally, the textile properties of the fibrous copolymers were improved as compared with the properties of cotton products. 

The homopolymer and block copolymer macromonomers were copolymerized with MMA by free-radical polymerization in benzene at 60 °C using AIBN as an initiator typical concentration were [MMA]=1.2 mol 1 1 and [macromonomer] =0.020 mol l"1. MMA was completely converted in 18 h and the macromonomers conversion reached more than 70% as determined by lH NMR. Incomplete conversion was explained by steric hindrance. Free-radical copolymerization resulted in high MW graft copolymers with PMMA backbone and relatively rigid, nonpolar poly(P-pinene) branches. 

Poly( ethylene oxide)-block-poly (propylene oxide)-hZock-poly(ethylene oxide)-g-poly(acrylic acid) (PEO-fc-PPO-fc-PEO-g-PAA, Pluronic-PAA) graft copolymers were synthesized by free radical grafting copolymerization of acrylic acid monomers onto PEO-h-PPO-h-PEO (Pluronic F127) and the aqueous solution properties were characterized by Bromberg [133, 134]. Chiu et al. [135] reported on the micellization of (non-ionic) poly(stearyl methacrylate)-gra/f-poly(ethylene glycol) graft copolymers. 

So far we have discovered very few polymerization techniques for making macromolecules with narrow molar mass distributions and for preparing di-and triblock copolymers. These types of polymers are usually made by anionic or cationic techniques, which require special equipment, ultrapure reagents, and low temperatures. In contrast, most of the commodity polymers in the world such as LDPE, poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), vinyl latexes, and so on are prepared by free radical chain polymerization. Free radical polymerizations are relatively safe and easy to perform, even on very large scales, tolerate a wide variety of solvents, including water, and are suitable for a large number of monomers. However, most free radical polymerizations are unsuitable for preparing block copolymers or polymers with narrow molar mass distributions. 

The polymerization described so far is homo-polymerization based on single monomers. Some polymers used in pharmaceutical applications are copolymers. They have properties that each homo-polymer does not exhibit. For example, the copolymer of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate is synthesized in order to obtain a polymer exhibiting a hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. A variety of copolymers (alternating, block, random) can be formed from two different monomers. Special processes produce alternating and block copolymers, while random copolymers are produced by free-radical copolymerization of two monomers. The polymerization steps, such as initiation, propagation, and termination, are the same as in free-radical homo-polymerization. Copolymerization kinetics are depicted as follows ... 

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