This critical review is concerned with the recent advances in graft polymerisation techniques involving cellulose and its derivatives. It summarises some of the features of cellulose structure and cellulose reactivity. Also described are the various techniques for grafting synthetic polymers from the cellulosic substrate. In addition to the traditional grafting techniques, we highlight the recent developments in polymer synthesis that allow increased control over the grafting process and permit the production of functional celluloses that possess improved physical properties and chemical properties (189 references).
Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was used for the
first time to produce poly(methyl methacrylate) hyperbranched polymers via the one-pot copolymerization
of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, mediated by 2-(2-cyanopropyl)
dithiobenzoate. Hyperbranched structures were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion
chromatography (SEC), and thermal analyses. Monomer conversions and molecular weight distributions
of hyperbranched poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) prepared via RAFT polymerization are much higher
and much lower, respectively, than those of the analogous polymers prepared via other living
polymerization systems. Furthermore, the living character of the RAFT process was used to polymerize
styrene from hyperbranched PMMA precursors (macro chain-transfer agent, macroCTA) and to produce
starlike structures with hyperbranched PMMA as the core and polystyrene as the arms. DSC and SEC
analyses support the observations made regarding the production of these novel architectures.
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