56 research outputs found
Randomly hyperbranched polymers
We describe a model for the structures of randomly hyperbranched polymers in solution, and find a logarithmic growth of radius with polymer mass. We include segmental overcrowding, which puts an upper limit on the density. The model is tested against simulations, against data on amylopectin, a major component of starch, on glycogen, and on polyglycerols. For samples of synthetic polyglycerol and glycogen, our model holds well for all the available data. The model reveals higher-level scaling structure in glycogen, related to the beta particles seen in electron microscopy
Dendritic and hyperbranched polymers from macromolecular units: Elegant approaches to the synthesis of functional polymers
This perspective presents the state-of-the-art techniques to synthesize highly branched polymers such as dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers with well-defined linear chains between branch points. These highly branched polymers are essentially the long-chain analogues of conventional dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers and have been given many names, including dendrimer-like, DendriMac, HyperMac, etc. We cover the various synthetic strategies: the direction of synthesis (i.e., core outward or periphery inward) and the building of hyperbranched polymer either through iterative chain growth/branching reactions or from well-defined and reactive building blocks. The first section of this paper focuses on the iterative chain growth/branching reactions. These reactions have been used to create long-chain analogues of dendrimers. The second section highlights the modular synthesis of long-chain analogues of dendrimers following traditional dendrimer chemistry, based on divergent or convergent synthesis, and using linear polymers, or macromonomers, as building units. The third section outlines the modular synthesis of hyperbranched polymers via single step addition of macromonomers. The final section of this perspective highlights other related syntheses of long-chain hyperbranched polymers that do not fit within the groups described above
Formation and Possible Reactions of Organometallic Intermediates with Active Copper(I) Catalysts in ATRP
International audienceThe CuI complex obtained in situ from CuI and tris((4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)methyl)amine (TPMA*) is currently the most reducing and the most active catalyst for atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRP). The complex has a high affinity for alkyl halides (ATRP pathway) but also has sufficient affinity toward organic radicals to potentially participate in organometallic-mediated radical polymerization (OMRP). Thus, the radical polymerization of n-butyl acrylate initiated by AIBN (azobisisobutyronitrile) was significantly retarded, and the molecular weights decreased in the presence of the CuI/TPMA* complex. These results suggest the presence of a Cu-mediated termination processes, even after the amount of radicals generated from AIBN exceeded the initial amount of CuI/TPMA*. Nevertheless, in the presence of alkyl bromides, which act as ATRP initiators for acrylates, control was gained through metal-mediated halogen atom transfer, i.e., ATRP, not OMRP
Kinetic modeling of ICAR ATRP
Kinetic modeling is used to better understand and optimize initiators for continuous activator regeneration atom-transfer radical polymerization (ICAR ATRP). The polymerization conditions are adjusted as a function of the ATRP catalyst reactivity for two monomers, methyl methacrylate and styrene. In order to prepare a well-controlled ICAR ATRP process with a low catalyst amount (ppm level), a sufficiently low initial concentration of conventional radical initiator relative to the initial ATRP initiator is required. In some cases, stepwise addition of a conventional radical initiator is needed to reach high conversion. Under such conditions, the equilibrium of the activation/deactivation process for macromolecular species can be established already at low conversion
Transient polymers through carbodiimide-driven assembly
Biochemical systems make use of out-of-equilibrium polymers generated under kinetic control. Inspired by these systems, many abiotic supramolecular polymers driven by chemical fuel reactions have been reported. Conversely, polymers based on transient covalent bonds have received little attention, even though they have the potential to complement supramolecular systems by generating transient structures based on stronger bonds and by offering a straightforward tuning of reaction kinetics. In this study, we show that simple aqueous dicarboxylic acids give poly(anhydrides) when treated with the carbodiimide EDC. Transient covalent polymers with molecular weights exceeding 15,000 are generated which then decompose over the course of days. Disassembly kinetics can be controlled using simple substituent effects in the monomer design. The impact of solvent polarity, carbodiimide concentration, and monomer concentration on polymer properties and lifetimes has been investigated. The results reveal substantial control over polymer assembly and disassembly kinetics, highlighting the potential for fine-tuned kinetic control in nonequilibrium polymerization systems
Formation and Possible Reactions of Organometallic Intermediates with Active Copper(I) Catalysts in ATRP
The Cu<sup>I</sup> complex obtained in situ from Cu<sup>I</sup> and trisÂ((4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)Âmethyl)Âamine
(TPMA*)
is currently the most reducing and the most active catalyst for atom
transfer radical polymerizations (ATRP). The complex has a high affinity
for alkyl halides (ATRP pathway) but also has sufficient affinity
toward organic radicals to potentially participate in organometallic-mediated
radical polymerization (OMRP). Thus, the radical polymerization of <i>n</i>-butyl acrylate initiated by AIBN (azobisisobutyronitrile)
was significantly retarded, and the molecular weights decreased in
the presence of the Cu<sup>I</sup>/TPMA* complex. These results suggest
the presence of a Cu-mediated termination processes, even after the
amount of radicals generated from AIBN exceeded the initial amount
of Cu<sup>I</sup>/TPMA*. Nevertheless, in the presence of alkyl bromides,
which act as ATRP initiators for acrylates, control was gained through
metal-mediated halogen atom transfer, i.e., ATRP, not OMRP
Contribution of Photochemistry to Activator Regeneration in ATRP
With the recent interest in photochemically
mediated atom transfer
radical polymerization (ATRP), an interesting question arises: how
significant are the photochemical processes in ATRP reactions that
are supposed to be chemically controlled, such as initiators for continuous
activator regeneration (ICAR) ATRP? A comparison of the rates of polymerization
under ICAR ATRP conditions under ambient lighting and in the dark
indicates negligible difference in the polymerization rate, under
the conditions [MA]:[EBiB]:[TPMA*2]:[CuBr<sub>2</sub>]:[AIBN] = 300:1:0.12:0.03:0.2
in anisole 50% (v/v) at 60 °C, where TPMA*2 is 1-(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)-<i>N</i>-((4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)Âmethyl)-<i>N</i>-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)Âmethanamine. This indicates that under typical
ICAR conditions activator regeneration is almost exclusively due to
the chemical decomposition of AIBN, not ambient lighting. To further
investigate the effect of light on the activator regeneration, experiments
were performed combining ICAR and photochemical processes in a 392
nm photoreactor of intensity 0.9 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>. In this process,
termed PhICAR (photochemical plus ICAR) ATRP, the overall rate of
activator regeneration is the sum of the rates of activator regeneration
by chemical (ICAR) decomposition of AIBN and the photochemical activator
regeneration. At low AIBN concentrations (0.035 equiv with respect
to ATRP initiator), the contribution of the photochemical processes
in the 392 nm photoreactor is approximately 50%. At higher AIBN concentrations
(0.2 equiv with respect to ATRP initiator), the contribution of photochemical
processes to the overall polymerization drops to 15% due to the higher
rate of chemically controlled processes
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