title: RAFT Synthesis in Water of Cationic Polyelectrolytes with Tunable UCST.
abstract: Cationic polyelectrolytes showing an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) are synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in water at a temperature well above the UCST. The polymerization is well controlled by the RAFT process, with excellent pseudo-first-order kinetics. The cloud point is highly dependent on the polyelectrolyte concentration, molecular weight, and presence of added electrolyte. Alkylation of a neutral polymer is also conducted to obtain polyelectrolytes with different hydrophobic groups, which are shown to increase the cloud point.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
authors.forename: Xueteng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
authors.forename: Zesheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water
keywords: RAFT polymerization; UCST; polyelectrolytes; thermorespon­sive polymers