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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Synthesis of CO2-responsive polymers by post-polymerization modification

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Abstract We describe a general method to synthesize a double responsive polymer, exhibiting a temperature and CO 2 responsive behavior. The polymer derived from a controlled radical polymerization technique of pentafluorophenyl acrylate (PFPA), followed by a sequential post-polymerization modification of a CO 2 responsive- and thermo-responsive amines. Utilizing this approach three double responsive copolymers were synthesized, poly(3- N′,N′ -dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide- co - N -isopropyl acrylamide) (poly(DMPA- co -NIPAM)), poly( L -Arginine methyl ester acrylamide- co - N -isopropyl acrylamide) (poly(AME- co -NIPAM)) and poly( L -Arginine methyl ester acrylamide- co - N -cyclopropyl acrylamide) (poly(AME- co -CPAM), respectively. Utilizing turbidity measurement, the stimuli responsiveness of the polymers were investigated and it was found that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) could be reversibly triggered over a wide temperature range between 6 and 15 °C by purging with CO 2 and Ar, respectively. The presented strategy allows the introduction of different functionalities and the control of their fractional amount at the same time and proofs as a versatile platform, leading to adjustable functional polymers.