Issue 8, 2022

Effect of H-bonding on network junction and macroscopic elastomer properties in photocured polyacrylate films

Abstract

Two series of polyacrylate films with different H-bonding capable monoacrylate copolymers were synthesized by UV-initiated photo-polymerization. Detailed IR analyses on cured samples show that networks made from structurally distinguishable mono-acrylate have significantly different extent of H-bonded monoacrylate present. We found that this is induced by differences in the relative reaction rate between homo-polymerization and copolymerization of the relevant monoacrylates and crosslinker (PEGDA). Although ‘pre-organization’ of H-bond capable monoacrylates was observed for those tested formulations prior to crosslinking, which should significantly increase the homo-polymerization rate, it was found that the co-polymerization rate was also significantly increased. Furthermore, DQ NMR analyses on these networks pinpoints the presence of H-bonding clusters, which decreases mobility of chain segments near the H-bonding functional groups in the monoacrylate sidechains (dangling chain segments of monoacrylate). However, the overall network topology does not alter significantly upon forming H-bonding clusters in the monoacrylate sidechains. Finally it was also found that larger H-bonding clusters increase the apparent network junction functionality. These findings are discussed in the context of utilizing the H-bonding capable monoacrylates to tailor the microscopic topological properties as well as macroscopic physical properties of photocured polyacrylate polymer films.

Graphical abstract: Effect of H-bonding on network junction and macroscopic elastomer properties in photocured polyacrylate films

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
19 Nov 2021
Accepted
24 Jan 2022
First published
24 Jan 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Chem. Front., 2022,6, 990-1004

Effect of H-bonding on network junction and macroscopic elastomer properties in photocured polyacrylate films

B. Wu, W. Chassé, A. Heise, A. P. M. Kentgens, D. F. Brougham and V. M. Litvinov, Mater. Chem. Front., 2022, 6, 990 DOI: 10.1039/D1QM01535D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements