Thermoresponsive poly(2-oxazoline) molecular brushes by living ionic polymerization: Kinetic investigations of pendant chain grafting and cloud point modulation by backbone and side chain length variation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Ning Zhang - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Robert Luxenhofer - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Rainer Jordan - , Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Molecular brushes of poly(2-oxazoline)s were prepared by living anionic polymerization of 2-iso-propenyl-2-oxazoline to form the backbone and subsequent living cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-n- or 2-iso-propyl-2-oxazoline for pendant chain grafting. In situ kinetic studies indicate that the initiation efficiency and polymerization rates are independent from the number of initiator functions per initiator molecule. This was attributed to the high efficiency of oxazolinium salt and the stretched conformation of the backbone, which is caused by the electrostatic repulsion of the oxazolinium moieties along the macroinitiator. The resulting molecular brushes showed thermoresponsive properties, that is, having a defined cloud point (CP). The dependence of the CP as a function of backbone and side chain length as well as concentration was studied.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)973-981
Number of pages9
JournalMacromolecular chemistry and physics : MCP
Volume213
Issue number9
Publication statusPublished - 14 May 2012
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • grafting kinetics, LCST, molecular brush, oxazolinium salt, polyoxazoline, side chains