RAFT polymerisation of renewable terpene (meth)acrylates and the convergent synthesis of methacrylate–acrylate–methacrylate triblock copolymers

DOI: 10.1039/D1PY00326G

Authors: Rachel L. Atkinson (University of Nottingham) , Olivia R. Monaghan (University of Nottingham) , Matthew T. Elsmore (University of Nottingham) , Paul D. Topham (Aston University) , Daniel T. W. Toolan (The University of Sheffield) , Matthew J. Derry (Aston University) , Vincenzo Taresco (University of Nottingham) , Robert A. Stockman (University of Nottingham) , Davide S. A. De Focatiis (University of Nottingham) , Derek J. Irvine (University of Nottingham) , Steven M. Howdle (University of Nottingham)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Polymer Chemistry , VOL 16

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 23501

Abstract: Terpenes are ideal candidates for sustainable polymer feedstocks, due to their natural abundance and availability from existing waste streams. Previously, we have shown that a range of terpene(meth)acrylate monomers can be synthesised from the most commonly available terpenes (α-pinene, β-pinenene and limonene) and that these readily undergo radical polymerisation. We now report the synthesis of well-defined polymers and precise di- and multiblock copolymer architectures by use of RAFT control. A very wide range of Tg values are observed for the terpene (meth)acrylate homopolymers, from −3 °C for poly(limonene acrylate), up to +168 °C for poly(α-pinene methacrylate), and we exploit these to create renewably-sourced hard–soft block copolymers. We also report the synthesis of difunctional poly(α- and β-pinene methacrylate) macro-RAFT agents and the preparation of ABA triblock copolymers. Promising adhesive properties are observed for a triblock copolymer comprised of poly(α-pinene methacrylate) and poly(butyl acrylate) blocks. A range of fully terpene-based triblock copolymers containing poly(limonene acrylate) soft blocks are also reported.

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Environment


Instruments: I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction

Added On: 14/05/2021 08:59

Documents:
d1py00326g.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Climate Change Chemistry Materials Science Organic Chemistry Polymer Science

Technical Tags:

Scattering Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)