A novel strategy to synthesize double comb-shaped water soluble copolymer by RAFT polymerization

Abstract

A double comb-shaped water soluble copolymer, poly[poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate}-blockpoly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Woat-poly[poly (ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate], abbreviated as (P(MA-MPEO)block- PNIPAM-block-P(MA-MPEO)], with a controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity was successively synthesized using a macromonomer technique. The 60Co γ irradiation polymerization of MA-MPEO in the presence of dibenzyl trithiocarbonate (DBTTC) at room temperature afforded a polymer, P(MA-MPEO)-SC(S)S-P(MA-MPEO), which was subsequently used as a macro RAFT agent in the RAFT polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide, and water soluble double comb-shaped copolymers, P(MA-MPEO) -blockPMPAM-block-P(MA-MPEO), were successfully obtained. © 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.