Hufendiek et al. report the preparation of renewable, fluorescent, and thermoresponsive cellulose copolymers via light-induced ligation in solution copolymers.
Hufendiek et al. introduce a mild photochemically driven strategy for the synthesis of fluorescent cellulose copolymers using filter paper as the starting material. Thermoresponsive behaviour in water is imparted to the brush-like structures by grafting of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) side chains. All reactions take place in homogenous solutions, allowing the design of novel advanced materials from renewable resources.
Renewable, fluorescent, and thermoresponsive: cellulose copolymers via light-induced ligation in solution by Andrea Hufendiek, Christopher Barner-Kowollik and Michael A. R. Meier, Polym. Chem., 2015, 6, 2188-2191
Remzi Becer is a web-writer and Advisory Board member for Polymer Chemistry. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Materials Science and the director of the Polymer Science and Nanotechnology masters programme at Queen Mary, University of London. Visit www.becergroup.com for more information.
