Polymer Chemistry Blog

A highly alternating polymer sequence of methacrylate and acrylate has been made via living radical polymerization by researchers from Kyoto University.

“Template monomers” – consisting of two polymerisable alkene functions, e.g. methacylate and acrylate, placed side-by-side at the 1 and 8 positions of a rigid naphthalene scaffold – were used to create highly alternating polymers. Metal catalysed living radical polymerisation of these “templates” gave linear, controlled polymers with no cross-linking.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free: Yusuke Hibi, Shinsuke Tokuoka, Takaya Terashima, Makoto Ouchi and Mitsuo Sawamoto, Polym. Chem., 2011, 2, 341–347

This paper is part of an Emerging Investigators themed issue of Polymer Chemistry. Please click here to read the full listing of papers.

A novel initiation strategy for enzyme-induced radical polymerization using alkyl halides has been developed by researchers from the Agency of Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.

This approach can be used in both emulsion polymerisation and surface-initiated polymerisation. It is possible to tune the molecular weights of polymers reversibly (with 2-cyano-2-propyl dithiobenzoate) or irreversibly (with L-cysteine) through the selection of the appropriate chain transfer agent.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free: Yeap-Hung Ng, Fabio di Lena and Christina L. L. Chai, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00139B (Advance Article)

Chinese scientists have developed a new way to fabricate polymeric vesicles with well-defined PMMA brushes using silica particles as templates by surface-initiated photopolymerization (SIPP).

A cross-linked layer of PDMAEMA was immobilised on the surface of silica particles before photo-initiated polymerisation of methyl methacrylate in the presence of thioxanthone generated PMMA brushes on the vesicles. Removal of the silica cores yielded polymeric vesicles with well-defined PMMA brushes. This robust approach shows great potential for the fabrication and modification of polymer vesicles with differerent sizes and functions.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free:  Fengting Chen, Xuesong Jiang, Rui Liu and Jie Yin, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00288G (Advance Article)

Polystyrene-grafted silica nanoparticles have been synthesised without using a free initiator by a team of French scientists.

The masses of the grafted chains could be controlled, thus controlling the polymerisation and colloidal stability. This new method avoids the formation of free polymer chains through the use of free nitroxide in the polymerisation step and could find many potential applications in, for example, the field of nanocomposites.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free:
Chloé Chevigny, Didier Gigmes, Denis Bertin, Ralf Schweins, Jacques Jestin and François Boué, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00271B (Advance Article)