title: Advanced analytical methods for the structure elucidation of polystyrene-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate) block copolymers prepared by reverse iodine transfer polymerisation.
abstract: Reverse iodine transfer polymerisation (RITP) is a living radical polymerisation technique that has shown to be feasible in synthesising segmented styrene-acrylate copolymers. Polymers synthesised via RITP are typically only described regarding their bulk properties using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. To fully understand the complex composition of the polymerisation products and the RITP reaction mechanism, however, it is necessary to use a combination of advanced analytical methods. In the present RITP procedure, polystyrene was synthesised first and then used as a macroinitiator to synthesise polystyrene-block-poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PS-b-PBA) block copolymers. For the first time, these PS-b-PBA block copolymers were analysed by a combination of SEC, in situ(1)H NMR and HPLC. (1)H NMR was used to determine the copolymer composition and the end group functionality of the samples, while SEC and HPLC were used to confirm the formation of block copolymers. Detailed information on the living character of the RITP process was obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa.
authors.forename: Trevor Gavin
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfukwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa. Electronic address: hpasch@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pasch
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007455:Iodine / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D058105:Polymerization; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011137:Polystyrenes; C509854:poly(styrene-b-tert-butylacrylate); D007455:Iodine
keywords: Block copolymers; Chemical composition; High performance liquid chromatography; Molar mass; Reverse iodine transfer polymerization; Size exclusion chromatography