The Synthesis of Special Block Copolymers Using a Reaction Calorimeter

Abstract

Summary: The paper provides experimental results about an easy and versatile method to produce amphiphilic block copolymers, block copolymer particles, and even inorganic – polymeric nano‐composites via aqueous heterophase polymerization. Special emphasis is placed on the morphology and colloidal properties of some non‐ionic di‐ and triblock copolymer particles with poly(ethylene glycol) of 106 g/mol molecular weight as hydrophilic block as well as di‐stimuli‐responsive block copolymers containing both a poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) and a poly(ionic liquid) block.

“Schizomorphic” Emulsion Copolymerization Particles

“…[ 17 ] strength, charge density, and distance between the charges along the polymer backbone. In this kind of polymers, shortranged attractive and long-ranged repulsive forces interact and lead to a variability of chain confi gurations beyond spherical or globular shapes.…”

“…The former particles were synthesized via redox initiated sequential emulsion polymerization starting with radical generation at the chain end of PEG (molecular weight of 10 6 g mol − 1 ) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) as fi rst and styrene as second monomer as described in. [ 17 ] The PSS-PS copolymer particles were produced via self-initiating aqueous emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate. [ 18 ] This polymerization scenario favors the formation of copolymers with a block-like or gradient structure rather than statistical copolymers as discussed in.…”

Anion Responsive Imidazolium‐Based Polymers

“…The thermal and size transitions exhibited by some of these homopolymers and diblocks discussed were compared using dynamic light scattering (intensity weighted diameters, much larger than weight average diameters) and thermal gradients in speed of sound changes, dΔ U /d T , where Δ U is the change in the speed of sound in the sample solution relative to bulk water 61. Figure 13A shows the well‐known behavior of polyNIPAM with its LCST at 32 °C, and as temperature increases the polyNIPAM condenses upon itself and aggregates into large particles.…”

Ionic Liquids and Polymeric Ionic Liquids as Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials

“…Doubly stimuli-responsive dihydrophilic diblock copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-b-ionic liquid), PNIPAMb-PIL, have been synthesized by Tauer and co-workers [153][154][155] and by Yuan and co-workers [152,156]. Doubly hydrophilic block copolymers of PMAA and ILs were discussed earlier in the discussion of vesicle formation [56,57].…”