Journal article
Porous, functional, poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) monoliths by RAFT polymerization.
KJ Barlow, X Hao, TC Hughes, OE Hutt, A Polyzos, KA Turner, G Moad
Polym. Chem. | Royal Society of Chemistry | Published : 2014
DOI: 10.1039/c3py01015e
Abstract
Herein we provide the first report of a new method for the prepn. of porous functional poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) monoliths by use of reversible addn.-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymn. The method, exemplified by styrene-divinylbenzene copolymn. in the presence of 2-cyano-2-Pr dodecyl trithiocarbonate, provides control over polymn. kinetics, monolith morphol. and surface functionality. Kinetic studies of monolith formation show a period of slow copolymn., with a rate similar to RAFT homopolymn. of styrene, followed by rapid copolymn., with a rate similar to that obsd. in conventional styrene-divinylbenzene copolymn. The time to onset of rapid polymn. (gelation) and the monol..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Drs Roger Mulder and Jo Cosgriff for assistance with NMR experiments, Mr Mark Greaves for SEM and EDX characterization, and Dr Thomas Gengenbach for XPS data acquisition. Valuable discussions with Drs Almar Postma and Christian Hornung are gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the Australian Biotech Growth Partnership theme of CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering. K.J.B. thanks the Office of Chief Executive of CSIRO for an OCE postdoctoral fellowship.