Facile Preparation of CO2 -Responsive Polymer Nano-Objects via Aqueous Photoinitiated Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly (Photo-PISA)

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2017 Jul;38(13). doi: 10.1002/marc.201600508. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2 )-responsive polymer nano-objects are prepared by photoinitiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) in water at room temperature using a poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) macromolecular chain transfer agent. Kinetic studies confirm that full monomer conversions are achieved in all cases within 10 min of visible-light irradiation (405 nm, 0.5 mW cm-2 ). The effect of DMAEMA on the polymerization is studied in detail, and pure higher order morphologies (worms and vesicles) are prepared by this particular formulation. Finally, CO2 -responsive property of the obtained vesicles is investigated by dynamic light scattering, visual appearance, and transmission electron microscope.

Keywords: CO2-responsive; diblock copolymers; photo-PISA.

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Light
  • Methacrylates / chemistry
  • Photochemistry*
  • Polymerization* / radiation effects
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis*

Substances

  • Methacrylates
  • Polymers
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate
  • 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate