Issue 2, 2019

Aqueous one-pot synthesis of epoxy-functional diblock copolymer worms from a single monomer: new anisotropic scaffolds for potential charge storage applications

Abstract

Nitroxide-functional polymers have garnered considerable interest in recent years and appear to hold promise for energy storage applications. However, their synthesis can be both expensive and time-consuming. Here, we propose a highly convenient method for the preparation of TEMPO-functional diblock copolymer nanoparticles directly in water. Epoxy-functional diblock copolymer worms are synthesized from a single monomer, glycidyl methacrylate (GlyMA), using a three-step, one-pot protocol in aqueous solution via polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). First, an initial aqueous emulsion of GlyMA was heated at 85 °C for 9 h to afford an aqueous solution of glycerol monomethacrylate (GMA). Then reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of GMA was conducted in aqueous solution using a dicarboxylic acid-based RAFT agent to produce a water-soluble PGMA homopolymer. Finally, chain extension of this precursor block via RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization of GlyMA at 50 °C produced amphiphilic diblock copolymer chains that self-assembled in situ to form a 15% w/w aqueous dispersion of diblock copolymer worms. These worms can be derivatized directly using 4-amino-TEMPO in aqueous solution, affording novel crosslinked anisotropic nanoparticles that contain a relatively high density of stable nitroxide radicals for potential charge storage applications.

Graphical abstract: Aqueous one-pot synthesis of epoxy-functional diblock copolymer worms from a single monomer: new anisotropic scaffolds for potential charge storage applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Oct 2018
Accepted
14 Nov 2018
First published
29 Nov 2018

Polym. Chem., 2019,10, 194-200

Aqueous one-pot synthesis of epoxy-functional diblock copolymer worms from a single monomer: new anisotropic scaffolds for potential charge storage applications

F. L. Hatton, A. M. Park, Y. Zhang, G. D. Fuchs, C. K. Ober and S. P. Armes, Polym. Chem., 2019, 10, 194 DOI: 10.1039/C8PY01427B

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