Journal article
Radical polymerization behavior and molecular weight development of homologous monoacrylate monomers in lyotropic liquid crystal phases
Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry, Vol.54(1), pp.144-154
01/01/2016
DOI: 10.1002/pola.27783
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Polymerization in highly ordered lyotropic liquid‐crystalline (LLC) media enables controllable synthesis of polymers possessing interesting nanostructure and physical properties. This study investigates the radical polymerization rate and molecular weight (MW) development of monoacrylates of different aliphatic tail length in a range of LLC phases. Polymerization rate data were acquired using photodifferential scanning calorimetry, and linear polymer MW was determined with gel permeation chromatography. Polymerization occurs much more rapidly, and higher MW is attained in the ordered LLC phases relative to isotropic solutions and neat polymerization. These properties change significantly as a function of LLC phase and monomer structure. A direct relationship is observed between polymer MW formation and the polymerization rate. Definitive changes in rate and MW were observed at phase boundaries, indicating the important role of solvent order. This study demonstrates how solvent ordering effects can be used to control polymer MW and rate of polymerization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 144–154
Surfactant self‐assembly can generate lyotropic liquid‐crystalline mesophases such as hexagonal, bicontinuous cubic, or lamellar nanostructures. These geometries can be used as a photopolymerization template to synthesize materials with nanoscale features. Rapid radical polymerization kinetics and thermodynamics are key factors to better control nanostructure retention. Herein, monomer polarity, light intensity, and template geometry are correlated to the evolution of polymer molecular weight and radical photopolymerization kinetics to better understand the parameters that can improve the nanostructure transfer.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Radical polymerization behavior and molecular weight development of homologous monoacrylate monomers in lyotropic liquid crystal phases
- Creators
- Michael A DePierro - University of IowaCéline Baguenard - University of IowaC Allan Guymon - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry, Vol.54(1), pp.144-154
- DOI
- 10.1002/pola.27783
- ISSN
- 0887-624X
- eISSN
- 1099-0518
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- University of Wisconsin Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (DMR‐1121288) National Science Foundation (CBET‐0933450; CBET‐1438486)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2016
- Academic Unit
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984209502002771
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