Synthesis of heat-resistant living polymer particles by one-step reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer precipitation polymerization of styrene and -phenylmaleimide

山崎 駿*; 金子 直矢*; 加藤 敦也*; 渡邉 航平*; 青木 大輔*; 谷口 竜王*; 唐津 孝*; 上田 祐生; 元川 竜平; 大倉 滉生*; et al.

Polymer, 298, p.126846_1 - 126846_11, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2024.126846

Synthesis of heat-resistant, living polymer particles via one-step reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer precipitation polymerization (RAFTPP) of styrene and -phenylmaleimide is reported. Gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed that the polymerization proceeded in a living manner. The scanning electron microscopy results showed that the monodisperse P(St-PhMI) RAFTPP particles with a diameter of 1.88 micrometer were successfully synthesized. The P(St-PhMI) RAFTPP showed excellent thermal stability with a high glass transition temperature and a 5 percent weight loss temperature. The surface concentration of the RAFT groups was determined to be 0.181 groups/square-nanometer due to fragmentation of the RAFT groups exposed on the particles. The small-angle neutron scattering measurements showed the particle formation mechanism, in which the swollen, growing polymer chains were consumed for particle formation. The introduction of grafted chains by surface-initiated RAFT polymerization demonstrated the possibility of further functionalization of P(St-PhMI) RAFTPP particles by exploiting their living nature.