Synthesis and properties of acrylate-acrylic acid-acrylate triblock copolymers with gemini structure by RAFT polymerization

A class of gemini structure block copolymers with a trithiocarbonate ester spacer group had been synthesized with S, S'-bis (R, R'-dimethylacetic acid) trithiocarbonate as reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer agents and acrylic acid as the second monomer. These triblock copolymers were characterized by H-1 NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography in terms of their compositions, molecular weights and behaviour at the air-water interface. The results showed that the weight-average molecular weight was larger than theoretical molecular as the acrylate side chain increased. The polymer neutralized by sodium hydroxide solution had low critical micelle concentration which was <10(-2) mol L-1 in water. TEM and DLS showed that it formed a special micelle structure with large pore structure which might lead to low surface tension and critical micelle concentration in water. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.