Branched polymers
AssigneeThe University of Liverpool
InventorsSteven Rannard, Pierre Chambon, Savannah Cassin
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Abstract
Responsive or degradable branched polymers may be prepared by the free radical polymerisation of a multivinyl monomer in the presence of a chain transfer agent, using a source of radicals, wherein the extent of propagation is controlled relative to the extent of chain transfer to prevent gelation of the polymer. The multivinyl monomer may comprise a cleavable group, for example an ester, or a multiplicity of such groups, between two vinyl groups. Said monomer may be a macromonomer containing multiple cleavage sites.
Claims32
A method of preparing a degradable branched polymer comprising:
- free radical polymerisation of one or more multivinyl monomers in the presence of one or more chain transfer agents and a source of radicals,
- wherein the extent of propagation is controlled relative to the extent of chain transfer to prevent gelation of the polymer, and
- wherein the multivinyl monomer comprises a cleavable group between two vinyl groups.
A method of preparing a degradable branched polymer comprising:
- free radical polymerisation of one or more multivinyl monomers in the presence of one or more chain transfer agents and a source of radicals,
- wherein propagation is controlled relative to chain transfer to achieve a polymer having a multiplicity of vinyl polymer chain segments wherein the average vinyl polymer chain contains between 1 and 3 multivinyl monomer residues, and
- wherein the multivinyl monomer comprises a cleavable group between two vinyl groups.
A degradable branched polymer product comprising one or more multivinyl monomer residues and chain transfer residues, comprising on average between 0.9 and 3.3 chain transfer residues per multivinyl monomer residue, wherein branches between vinyl polymer chains comprise a cleavable group.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.