No abstract

Well defined homopolymers and block copolymers from renewable monomer α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (MBL) were prepared using photochemically induced atom transfer radical polymerization (photoATRP) in the presence of only 50-200 ppm of copper catalyst without the requirement of air removal from the polymerization mixture. The effect of solvent type and volume, ligand-to-copper ratio, catalyst concentration, ligand type, and the possible partial replacement of an expensive ligand with cheap simple amines, were investigated.The livingness of the oxygen-tolerant photoATRP system was investigated by chain extension polymerization and the possibility to prepare block copolymers by chain extension of PMBL-Br macroinitiator with methyl methacrylate (MMA) as well as by chain extension of PMMA-Br macroinitiator with PMBL block was studied. It was shown that a concentration of catalyst as low as 50 ppm is sufficient to provide good control over the molecular characteristics and kinetics.China) and the temperature in the position of the samples did not exceed 28°C. At each preselected time the polymerization in one vial was stopped by exposing it to air and analysed. For chain extension experiments the macroinitiators were purified by precipitation in n-hexane.

Antibacterial highly grafted cotton fabric with good laundry resistance was prepared using photoATRP in the presence of air.