We introduce the first oxygen tolerant ultra-low volume (as low as 5 μL) photoinduced Cu-RDRP of a range of hydrophobic, hydrophilic and semi-fluorinated monomers.

We present a systematic study of incorporating carboxyl groups into latex particles to enhance colloidal stability and the physical properties of the latex. Statistical copolymers of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate) were synthesized via catalytic chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) in emulsion. The vinyl‐terminated oligomers were in turn successfully utilized as chain transfer agents for the formation of diblock and pseudo triblock copolymers via sulfur‐free reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (SF‐RAFT). These copolymers were characterized using 1H NMR, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), contact angle measurements and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) techniques. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, E1–E9

This work demonstrates a method for preparing acrylic-methacrylic diblock copolymers via end-capping.

Evaluation of Schiff base nanocomposite hydrogels properties using a benzaldehyde multifunctional amphiphilic polyacrylamide crosslinker in conjunction with glycol chitosan.

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Amphiphilic polymers have become key figures in the fields of pharmacology, medicine, agriculture and cosmetics.

Polymeric dispersants are useful materials used in many different industries and often derived from oil-based chemicals, for example, in automotive fluids so as to prevent particulates from precipitation and causing potential damage. These are very often polyisobutene derivatives, and there is a growing need to replace these using chemicals using renewable resources such as the use of naturally occurring myrcene. Polymyrcene (PMy), with an ordered microstructure, has been successfully synthesized via both anionic and radical polymerization in different solvents and subsequently subjected to functionalization via photoinduced thiol−ene click reactions with a number of thiols, methyl thioglycolate, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, 3-mercapto-1-hexanol, 2mercaptoethanol, and 1-thioglycerol, using 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone as a photoinitiator under UV irradiation (λ = 365 nm) at ambient temperature. The polarity of the solvent has an important impact on the microstructure of the produced polymyrcene and, in particular, 1,2-unit (∼4%), 3,4-unit (∼41%), and 1,4-unit (∼51%) PMy were obtained via anionic polymerization in a polar solvent (THF) at ambient temperature, while 3,4-unit (∼6%) and 1,4-unit (∼94%, including cis and trans) PMy were obtained with cyclohexane as the solvent. Subsequently, photochemical thiol−ene reactions were carried out on the resulting PMy with different isomers exhibiting different reactivities of the double bonds. This strategy allows for the introduction of functional/polar groups (−COOH, −OH) into hydrophobic PMy in a controlled process. Hydrogenation of PMy and derivatized PMy was carried out to investigate any effects on the stabilities of the products which are desirable for many applications.

Twos calable polymerisation methods are used in combination for the synthesis of ethylene and methacrylate blockc opolymers. w-Unsaturated methacrylic oligomers (MMA n )produced by catalytic chain transfer (co)polymerisation (CCTP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) are used as reagents in the radical polymerisation of ethylene (E) in dimethyl carbonate solvent under relatively mild conditions (80 bar,7 0 8 8C). Kinetic measurements and analyses of the produced copolymers by sizee xclusion chromatography (SEC) and ac ombination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques indicate that MMA n is involved in adegradative chain transfer process resulting in the formation of (MMA) n -b-PE blockc opolymers.M olecular modelling performed by DFT supports the overall reactivity scheme and observed selectivities.T he effect of MMA n molar mass and composition is also studied. The blockc opolymers were characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and their bulk behaviour studied by SAXS/WAXS analysis.