Synthesis, Characterization, and Cross-Linking of a Library of Statistical Copolymers Based on 2-‘‘Soy Alkyl’’-2-Oxazoline and 2-Ethyl-2-Oxazoline

Hoogenboom, Richard; Thijs, Hanneke M. L.; Fijten, Martin W. M.; Schubert, Ulrich S.

Abstract:

The synthesis of statistical copolymers consisting of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx) and 2-‘‘soy alkyl’’-2-oxazoline (SoyOx) via a microwave-assisted cationic ringopening polymerization procedure is described. The majority of the resulting copolymers revealed polydispersity indices below 1.30. The reactivity ratios (rEtOx 1.4 6 0.3; rSoyOx ¼ 1.7 6 0.3) revealed a clustered monomer distribution throughout the polymer chains. The thermal and surface properties of the pEtOx-stat-SoyOx copolymers were analyzed before and after UV-curing demonstrating the decreased chain mobility after cross-linking. In addition, the cross-linked materials showed shape-persistent swelling upon absorption of water from the air, whereby as little as 5 mol % SoyOx was found to provide efficient cross-linking.

Year:

2007

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

crosslinking; fatty acid; living polymerization; microwave irradiation; poly-2-oxazoline; renewable resources; ring-opening polymerization; soy-beans

Journal:

Journal of Polymer Science: Part A: Polymer Chemistry

Volume:

45

Pages:

5371 - 5379