Homo- and co-polymerisation of di(propylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate – a new monomer
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In this study, a new methacrylate monomer with two propylene glycol groups on the side chain, di(propylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (diPGMA), was synthesised via an esterification reaction. This new monomer was homo- and co-polymerised for the first time via group transfer polymerisation (GTP). Nine ABA triblock copolymers were synthesised via a “one-pot” GTP, with A and B blocks being based on the hydrophilic and the thermoresponsive oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, average Mn 300 g mol−1 (OEGMA300), and the hydrophobic diPGMA, respectively. The molar mass (MM) and OEGMA300/diPGMA content was systematically varied and the effect of this on the self-assembly and thermoresponsive properties was investigated. All copolymers were shown to self-assemble into aggregates and the size of these aggregates increased with both the MM of the polymer and the polymer content in diPGMA. A thermoresponse was observed in aqueous media, with the cloud point (CP) decreasing as the hydrophobic content increases, and the MM decreases. In concentrated aqueous solutions, the polymer with the highest MM and highest diPGMA content formed gels, whose storage modulus increases as a function of the concentration. This study reports a promising alternative hydrophobic monomer to be used in the fabrication of thermogelling materials.
Date Issued
2021-05-12
Date Acceptance
2021-05-11
Citation
Polymer Chemistry, 2021, 12 (24), pp.3522-3532
ISSN
1759-9954
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
3522
End Page
3532
Journal / Book Title
Polymer Chemistry
Volume
12
Issue
24
Copyright Statement
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Identifier
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/PY/D1PY00444A#!divAbstract
Grant Number
MMRE_P75852
EP/R511547/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Polymer Science
THERMORESPONSIVE POLYMERS
2-(2-METHOXYETHOXY)ETHYL METHACRYLATE
PHASE-TRANSITIONS
HYDROGELS
COPOLYMERS
TERPOLYMERS
DELIVERY
GELS
POLY(2-OXAZOLINE)S
HYDROPHOBICITY
0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry
0307 Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-05-12