Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Triblock Copolymers via Difunctional Photoiniferters in Inverse Miniemulsion Conditions

Megan E. Lott, Lucca Trachsel, Emmanuelle Schué, Cullen L. G. Davidson, IV, Rebecca A. Olson S., Diego I. Pedro

University of Florida

We synthesized ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW) acrylamido ABA triblock copolymers using a set of novel difunctional iniferters under homogeneous and inverse miniemulsion conditions via photoiniferter polymerization. The difunctional iniferters, mediated by low-intensity UV irradiation, allow for a more facile method to synthesize ABA triblock copolymers by decreasing the number of synthetic steps typically required for such an architecture, while the inverse miniemulsion conditions limit the mixture viscosity, which increases scalability of such an approach. The monomer scope was further expanded to include a stimuli-responsive monomer, 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (APBA), into the UHMW ABA triblock copolymer backbone.