Poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymers by redox process: Kinetics, synthesis and characterization

Abstract

Novel block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with various vinyl monomers namely acrylonitrile (AN), acrylamide(AAm), methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) were synthesized using Ce4+-PEG and Mn3+-PEG redox system in aqueous acidic medium. The polymerization proceeded via a macroradical generation, which was substantiated by ESR spectroscopy. This macroradical acted as a redox macroinitiator for the block copolymerization of vinyl monomers. The formation of the block copolymers was confirmed by chemical test and fractional precipitation, as well as by FT-IR, 1H & 13C FT-NMR spectroscopy. The triblock nature of the block copolymers was established through the cleavage of the ether linkage of the PEG segments.