Synthesis of Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Miktoarm Star Copolymers through ROP, SA ATRC, and ATRP

Venkatesan Sathesh; Jem-Kun Chen; Chi-Jung Chang; Junko Aimi; Zong-Cheng Chen; Yu-Chih Hsu; Yi-Shen Huang; Chih-Feng Huang

doi:10.3390/polym10080858

Polymers (Aug 2018)

Synthesis of Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Miktoarm Star Copolymers through ROP, SA ATRC, and ATRP

Venkatesan Sathesh,
Jem-Kun Chen,
Chi-Jung Chang,
Junko Aimi,
Zong-Cheng Chen,
Yu-Chih Hsu,
Yi-Shen Huang,
Chih-Feng Huang

Affiliations

Venkatesan Sathesh: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Road, South District, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
Jem-Kun Chen: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 43 Sec. 4, Keelung Road, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
Chi-Jung Chang: Department of Chemical Engineering, Feng Chia University, 100 Wenhwa Road, Seatwen District, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
Junko Aimi: Molecular Design & Function Group, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
Zong-Cheng Chen: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Road, South District, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
Yu-Chih Hsu: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Road, South District, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
Yi-Shen Huang: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Road, South District, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
Chih-Feng Huang: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Road, South District, Taichung 40227, Taiwan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080858
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 8
p. 858

Abstract

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The synthesis of novel branched/star copolymers which possess unique physical properties is highly desirable. Herein, a novel strategy was demonstrated to synthesize poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) based miktoarm star (μ-star) copolymers by combining ring-opening polymerization (ROP), styrenics-assisted atom transfer radical coupling (SA ATRC), and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). From the analyses of gel permeation chromatography (GPC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), well-defined PCL-μ-PSt (PSt: polystyrene), and PCL-μ-PtBA (PtBA: poly(tert-butyl acrylate) μ-star copolymers were successfully obtained. By using atomic force microscopy (AFM), interestingly, our preliminary examinations of the μ-star copolymers showed a spherical structure with diameters of ca. 250 and 45 nm, respectively. We successfully employed combinations of synthetic techniques including ROP, SA ATRC, and ATRP with high effectiveness to synthesize PCL-based μ-star copolymers.

Published in Polymers

ISSN: 2073-4360 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers/

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