Polymethyl methacrylate, polymer synthesi

In the polymer impregnated gels, some porosity typically remains. Although some copolymers of methyl methacrylate, butadiene and styrene have been used to impregnate silica, the best known system is still silica impregnated with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)150-153. While this type of hybrid was important at first, it has been surpassed by other methods of hybrid synthesis that are simpler, with fewer steps and shorter times. 

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) and sodium styrene sulfonate (SSNa) are water-soluble. These polymers behave like a low MW surfactant as they form micelles in aqueous solution in which the hydrophobic part is directed towards the centre and the hydrophilic part is situated on the periphery of the micelle. Owing to such features, amphiphilic block copolymers have wide-ranging applications in drugs, pharmaceuticals, coatings, cosmetics and paints. They also exhibit very high antibacterial activities. Oikonomou and co-workers used ATRP to prepare amphiphilic block copolymers, consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly (sodium styrene sulfonate) (PSSNa) blocks [18]. The synthesis methods are described below. 

Rani P, Mishra S, Sen G. Microwave based synthesis of polymethyl methacrylate grafted alginate its application as flocculant. Carbohydr Polym 2013 91 686-692. 

Castor oil has found application in the synthesis of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs). These materials can be defined as a combination of two polymer networks, at least one of which is synthesized and/or cross-linked in the immediate presence of the other. They are called semi-lPN if just one of the polymers is a network (Athawale et al, 2003). Early reports on castor oil IPNs appeared in 1977 by Yenwo and co-workers. The report discussed the synthesis possibilities via cross-linking of double bonds with sulfur, reaction of hydroxyl groups with diisocyanates, and emulsion polymerizations with saponified ricinoleic acids as emulsifier. Moreover, the IPNs from acrylic polymers, such as polymethyl methacrylate and poly-2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate, and castor oil-based polyurethanes were reported to contribute to the final properties of the material (Cunha et al., 2004 Sanmathi et al, 2004). Incorporation of acrylic moieties into the PU networks increased toughness and thermal properties. In contrast, IPN polyesters derived from castor oil and dibasic acids (e.g. malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, suberic, and sebacic acid) were obtained as soft and opaque elastomers (Suthar et al, 2003). 

Parallel approaches have been described for the preparation of polyacrylate-protease conjugates [396-400]. Acryloylation of subtilisin and a-chymotrypsin, followed by mixed polymerization with methyl methacrylate, vinyl acetate, styrene, or ethylvinyl ether, provides insoluble, doped polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, and polyethyl vinyl ether polymers [396]. These biocatalytic plastics perform especially well in hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents, and have been used for peptide synthesis and the regioselective acylation of sugars and nucleosides. Similarly, modification of subtilisin and thermolysin with PEG monomethacrylate, then copolymerization with methyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate furnishes protease-polymethyl methacrylate plastics, which show good activities and stabilities in aqueous, mixed, and low-water and anhydrous organic media [397-400]. The protein-acrylate composites are unique in that they enable catalytic densities as high as 50% w/w. 

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