Bifunctional 2‐(alkoxycarbonothioylthio)acetic acids for the synthesis of TiO2‐poly(vinyl acetate) nanocomposites via RAFT polymerization. Issue 5 (14th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xiao, Shude; Xu, William Z.; Charpentier, Paul A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 52:Issue 5(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 606
• Page End: 618
• Publication Date: 2014-01-14
• Subjects: 547
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.27043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-624X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization has been known as a convenient method for the synthesis of polymers of designed molecular structures. Of particular interest are bifunctional or multifunctional chain‐transfer agents (CTAs) which could be employed in the development of advanced materials via RAFT polymerization. In the present study, four bifunctional 2‐(alkoxycarbonothioylthio) RAFT CTAs with COOH functionalities containing methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, and octyloxy groups, respectively, were synthesized and characterized by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. Polymerizations of vinyl acetate using these CTAs exhibited increased molecular weight with consumption of monomer and relatively narrow dispersities, indicative of living polymerization behavior. The effect of the concentration of 2‐(ethoxycarbonothioylthio) acetic acid on the polymerization was examined, revealing that higher concentration of CTA led to lower molecular weight and narrower dispersity. As an example of the application of the synthesized bifunctional CTAs, TiO₂‐poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) nanocomposites were synthesized via a one‐pot process and characterized by TGA, DSC, TEM, and affinity test, suggesting attachment of PVAc onto the nano‐TiO₂ particles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. <bold>2014</bold>, <italic>52</italic>, 606–618</p> </abstract>