SYNTHESIS OF ACRYLATE AND METHACRYLATE BLOCK-COPOLYMERS USING ATOM-TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

The synthesis of di- and triblock copolymers, involving methyl methacr ylate (MMA), butyl acrylate, and methyl acrylate, using copper-based a tom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is reported. It was found t hat poly(MMA) macroinitiator is able to initiate the ATRP of acrylic m onomers. However, for polyacrylates to effectively initiate the ATRP o f MMA, the end group should be a bromine atom and the catalyst CuCl; t hat is, halogen exchange should take place. ABA-type triblock copolyme rs, where B poly(butyl acrylate) and A = poly(methyl methacrylate), we re synthesized by growing the center block first using a difunctional initiator and then adding MMA to the ends.