Switchable Electrostatically Templated Polymerization

We report a switchable, templated polymerization system where the strength of the templating effect can be modulated by solution pH and/or ionic strength. The responsiveness to these cues is incorporated through a dendritic polyamidoamine-based template of which the charge density depends on pH. The...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Li, Chendan, Magana Rodriguez, Jose Rodrigo, Sobotta, Fabian, Wang, Junyou, Cohen Stuart, Martien, van Ravensteijn, Bas, Voets, Ilja
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
Repositorio:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
OAI Identifier:oai:dau.url.edu:20.500.14342/4497
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4497
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202206780
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Complex Core Coacervate Micelles
PIESA
Polyelectrolytes
RAFT Polymerization
Templated Polymerizations
Solucions polimèriques
Polimerització
544
66
Descripción
Sumario:We report a switchable, templated polymerization system where the strength of the templating effect can be modulated by solution pH and/or ionic strength. The responsiveness to these cues is incorporated through a dendritic polyamidoamine-based template of which the charge density depends on pH. The dendrimers act as a template for the polymerization of an oppositely charged monomer, namely sodium styrene sulfonate. We show that the rate of polymerization and maximum achievable monomer conversion are directly related to the charge density of the template, and hence the environmental pH. The polymerization could effectively be switched “ON” and “OFF” on demand, by cycling between acidic and alkaline reaction environments. These findings break ground for a novel concept, namely harnessing co-assembly of a template and growing polymer chains with tunable association strength to create and control coupled polymerization and self-assembly pathways of (charged) macromolecular building blocks.