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Synthesis of polysulfone-b-polystyrene block copolymers by mechanistic transformation from condensation polymerization to free radical polymerization

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Abstract

Synthesis of polysulfone-b-polystyrene (PSU-b-PS) block copolymers by a combination of condensation polymerization and free radical polymerization processes are described. First, a new macroazoinitiator (MAI) containing polysulfone (PSU) units was prepared by direct esterification of 4,4-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid) with α,ω-hydroxyl PSU telechelics at ambient conditions. The macroinitiator was then used in conventional free radical polymerization of styrene leading to the formation of desired block copolymers. In this process, initiating macroradicals were generated by thermal cleavage of the azo group present in the macroazoinitiator structure. The precursor polysulfone macroazoinitiator (PSU-MAI) and resulting block copolymers were characterized by spectral analysis using FT-IR, 1H-NMR, GPC, TGA, and DSC.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Istanbul Technical University Research Fund and the State Planning Organization of Turkey (DPT) (Project No: 2005K120920) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Chemistry, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul, 34469, Turkey

    Cemil Dizman, Muhammet U. Kahveci & Yusuf Yagci

  2. Chemistry Institute, TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, Gebze, Kocaeli, 41470, Turkey

    Cemil Dizman

  3. Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Yıldız Technical University, Davutpasa Esenler, Istanbul, 34210, Turkey

    Muhammet U. Kahveci

  4. Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Yusuf Yagci

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Dizman, C., Kahveci, M.U. & Yagci, Y. Synthesis of polysulfone-b-polystyrene block copolymers by mechanistic transformation from condensation polymerization to free radical polymerization. Polym. Bull. 70, 2097–2109 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-013-0931-2

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