TY - JOUR A1 - Herfurth, Christoph A1 - Voll, Dominik A1 - Buller, Jens A1 - Weiss, Jan A1 - Barner-Kowollik, Christopher A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - Radical addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of ferrocenyl (meth)acrylates JF - Journal of polymer science : A, Polymer chemistry N2 - We report on the controlled free radical homopolymerization of 1-ferrocenylethyl acrylate as well as of three new ferrocene bearing monomers, namely 4-ferrocenylbutyl acrylate, 2-ferrocenylamido-2-methylpropyl acrylate, and 4-ferrocenylbutyl methacrylate, by the RAFT technique. For comparison, the latter monomer was polymerized using ATRP, too. The ferrocene containing monomers were found to be less reactive than their analogues free of ferrocene. The reasons for the low polymerizability are not entirely clear. As the addition of free ferrocene to the reaction mixture did not notably affect the polymerizations, sterical hindrance by the bulky ferrocene moiety fixed on the monomers seems to be the most probable explanation. Molar masses found for 1-ferrocenylethyl acrylate did not exceed 10,000 g mol(-1), while for 4-ferrocenylbutyl (meth) acrylate molar masses of 15,000 g mol(-1) could be obtained. With PDIs as low as 1.3 in RAFT polymerization of the monomers, good control over the polymerization was achieved. KW - ferrocene KW - living radical polymerization (LRP) KW - monomers KW - radical addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) KW - radical polymerization KW - redox polymers KW - synthesis Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.24994 SN - 0887-624X VL - 50 IS - 1 SP - 108 EP - 118 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Malden ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weiss, Jan A1 - Li, Ang A1 - Wischerhoff, Erik A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - Water-soluble random and alternating copolymers of styrene monomers with adjustable lower critical solution temperature JF - Polymer Chemistry N2 - Random copolymers of 4-vinylbenzyl tri(oxyethylene) and tetra(oxyethylene) ethers, as well as alternating copolymers of 4-vinylbenzyl methoxytetra(oxyethylene) ether and a series of N-substituted maleimides, were synthesised by conventional free radical polymerisation, reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP). Their thermosensitive behaviour in aqueous solution was studied by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering. Depending on the copolymer composition, a LCST type phase transition was observed in water. The transition temperature of the obtained random as well as alternating copolymers could be varied within a broad temperature window. In the case of the random copolymers, transition temperatures could be easily fine-tuned, as they showed a linear dependence on the copolymer composition, and were additionally modified by the nature of the polymer end-groups. Alternating copolymers were extremely versatile for implementing a broad range of variations of the phase transition temperatures. Further, while alternating copolymers derived from 4-vinylbenzyl methoxytetra(oxyethylene) ether and maleimides with small hydrophobic side chains underwent macroscopic phase separation when dissolved in water and heated above their cloud point, the incorporation of maleimides bearing larger hydrophobic substituents resulted in the formation of mesoglobules above the phase transition temperature, with hydrodynamic diameters of less than 100 nm. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c1py00422k SN - 1759-9954 VL - 3 IS - 2 SP - 352 EP - 361 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhong, Qi A1 - Metwalli, Ezzeldin A1 - Kaune, Gunar A1 - Rawolle, Monika A1 - Bivigou Koumba, Achille Mayelle A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Papadakis, Christine M. A1 - Cubitt, Robert A1 - Müller-Buschbaum, Peter T1 - Switching kinetics of thin thermo-responsive hydrogel films of poly(monomethoxy-diethyleneglycol-acrylate) probed with in situ neutron reflectivity JF - Soft matter N2 - The switching kinetics of thin thermo-responsive hydrogel films of poly(monomethoxy-diethyleneglycol-acrylate) (PMDEGA) are investigated. Homogeneous and smooth PMDEGA films with a thickness of 35.9 nm are prepared on silicon substrates by spin coating. As probed with white light interferometry, PMDEGA films with a thickness of 35.9 nm exhibit a phase transition temperature of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) type of 40 degrees C. In situ neutron reflectivity is performed to investigate the thermo-responsive behavior of these PMDEGA hydrogel films in response to a sudden thermal stimulus in deuterated water vapor atmosphere. The collapse transition proceeds in a complex way which can be seen as three steps. The first step is the shrinkage of the initially swollen film by a release of water. In the second step the thickness remains constant with water molecules embedded in the film. In the third step, perhaps due to a conformational rearrangement of the collapsed PMDEGA chains, water is reabsorbed from the vapor atmosphere, thereby giving rise to a relaxation process. Both the shrinkage and relaxation processes can be described by a simple model of hydrogel deswelling. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2sm25401h SN - 1744-683X VL - 8 IS - 19 SP - 5241 EP - 5249 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Herfurth, Christoph A1 - de Molina, Paula Malo A1 - Wieland, Christoph A1 - Rogers, Sarah A1 - Gradzielski, Michael A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - One-step RAFT synthesis of well-defined amphiphilic star polymers and their self-assembly in aqueous solution JF - Polymer Chemistry N2 - Multifunctional chain transfer agents for RAFT polymerisation were designed for the one-step synthesis of amphiphilic star polymers. Thus, hydrophobically end-capped 3- and 4-arm star polymers, as well as linear ones for reference, were made of the hydrophilic monomer N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) in high yield with molar masses up to 150 000 g mol(-1), narrow molar mass distribution (PDI <= 1.2) and high end group functionality (similar to 90%). The associative telechelic polymers form transient networks of interconnected aggregates in aqueous solution, thus acting as efficient viscosity enhancers and rheology modifiers, eventually forming hydrogels. The combination of dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and rheology experiments revealed that several molecular parameters control the structure and therefore the physical properties of the aggregates. In addition to the size of the hydrophilic block (maximum length for connection) and the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain ends (stickiness), the number of arms (functionality) proved to be a key parameter. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2py20126g SN - 1759-9954 VL - 3 IS - 6 SP - 1606 EP - 1617 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adelsberger, Joseph A1 - Metwalli, Ezzeldin A1 - Diethert, Alexander A1 - Grillo, Isabelle A1 - Bivigou Koumba, Achille Mayelle A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Müller-Buschbaum, Peter A1 - Papadakis, Christine M. T1 - Kinetics of collapse transition and cluster formation in a thermoresponsive micellar solution of P(S-b-NIPAM-b-S) induced by a temperature jump JF - Macromolecular rapid communications N2 - Structural changes at the intra- as well as intermicellar level were induced by the LCST-type collapse transition of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) in ABA triblock copolymer micelles in water. The distinct process kinetics was followed in situ and in real-time using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), while a micellar solution of a triblock copolymer, consisting of two short deuterated polystyrene endblocks and a long thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) middle block, was heated rapidly above its cloud point. A very fast collapse together with a multistep aggregation behavior is observed. The findings of the transition occurring at several size and time levels may have implications for the design and application of such thermoresponsive self-assembled systems. KW - polymer physics KW - thermoresponsive polymers KW - small-angle neutron scattering KW - time-resolved measurements Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.201100631 SN - 1022-1336 VL - 33 IS - 3 SP - 254 EP - 259 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Malden ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miasnikova, Anna A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - De Paoli, Gabriele A1 - Papadakis, Christine M. A1 - Müller-Buschbaum, Peter A1 - Funari, Sergio S. T1 - Thermoresponsive Hydrogels from Symmetrical Triblock Copolymers Poly(styrene-block-(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate)-block-styrene) JF - Langmuir N2 - A series of symmetrical, thermo-responsive triblock copolymers was prepared by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and studied in aqueous solution with respect to their ability to form hydrogels. Triblock copolymers were composed of two identical, permanently hydrophobic outer blocks, made of low molar mass polystyrene, and of a hydrophilic inner block of variable length, consisting of poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) PMDEGA. The polymers exhibited a LCST-type phase transition in the range of 20-40 degrees C, which markedly depended on molar mass and concentration. Accordingly, the triblock copolymers behaved as amphiphiles at low temperatures, but became water-insoluble at high temperatures. The temperature dependent self-assembly of the amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solution was studied by turbidimetry and rheology at concentrations up to 30 wt %, to elucidate the impact of the inner thermoresponsive block on the gel properties. Additionally, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was performed to access the structural changes in the gel with temperature. For all polymers a gel phase was obtained at low temperatures, which underwent a gel-sol transition at intermediate temperatures, well below the cloud point where phase separation occurred. With increasing length of the PMDEGA inner block, the gel-sol transition shifts to markedly lower concentrations, as well as to higher transition temperatures. For the longest PMDEGA block studied (DPn about 450), gels had already formed at 3.5 wt % at low temperatures. The gel-sol transition of the hydrogels and the LCST-type phase transition of the hydrophilic inner block were found to be independent of each other. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/la204665q SN - 0743-7463 VL - 28 IS - 9 SP - 4479 EP - 4490 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - Recent trends in the synthesis of polyelectrolytes JF - Current opinion in colloid & interface science : current chemistry N2 - Recent developments in the synthesis of polyelectrolytes are highlighted, with respect to the nature of the ionic groups, the polymer backbones, synthetic methods, and additional functionality given to the polyelectrolytes. In fact, the synthesis of new polyelectrolytes is mostly driven by material aspects, currently. The article pays particular attention to strong polyelectrolytes, and the new methods of controlled polymerization. These methods and the so-called click reactions have enabled novel designs of polyelectrolytes. Nevertheless, the polymerization of unprotected ionic monomers is still challenging and limits the synthetic possibilities. The structural aspects are complemented by considerations with respect to the aspired uses of the new polyelectrolytes. KW - Polyelectrolytes KW - Synthesis KW - Ionic monomers KW - Controlled polymerization KW - "click" chemistry Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cocis.2011.08.001 SN - 1359-0294 VL - 17 IS - 2 SP - 56 EP - 63 PB - Elsevier CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weiss, Jan A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - One-step synthesis of amphiphilic, double thermoresponsive diblock copolymers JF - Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society N2 - The copolymerization of an excess of a functionalized styrene monomer, 4-vinylbenzyl methoxytetrakis(oxyethylene) ether, with various N-substituted maleimides yields tapered diblock copolymers in a one-step procedure, when applying reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) methods, such as ATRP and RAFT. The particular chemical structure of the diblock copolymers prepared results in reversible temperature-responsive two-step aggregation behavior in dilute aqueous solution. In this way, a double hydrophilic block copolymer is transformed step by step into an amphiphilic macrosurfactant, and finally into a double hydrophobic copolymer, as followed by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering. Copolymers in which the maleimide repeat units bear short hydrophobic side chains are freely water-soluble at low temperature and form micellar aggregates above their cloud point. Further heating above the phase transition temperature of the second block results in secondary aggregation. Copolymers with maleimides that bear strongly hydrophobic substituents undergo two thermally induced aggregation steps upon heating, too, but show in addition intramolecular hydrophobic association in water already at low temperatures, similar to the behavior of polysoaps. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/ma300285y SN - 0024-9297 VL - 45 IS - 10 SP - 4158 EP - 4165 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fandrich, Artur A1 - Buller, Jens A1 - Wischerhoff, Erik A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Lisdat, Fred T1 - Electrochemical detection of the thermally induced phase transition of a thin stimuli-responsive polymer film JF - ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry KW - cyclic voltammetry KW - electrochemical impedance spectroscopy KW - polymers KW - surface chemistry KW - surface plasmon resonance Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201100924 SN - 1439-4235 VL - 13 IS - 8 SP - 2020 EP - 2023 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miasnikova, Anna A1 - Laschewsky, André T1 - Influencing the phase transition temperature of poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) by molar mass, end groups, and polymer architecture JF - Journal of polymer science : A, Polymer chemistry N2 - The easily accessible, but virtually overlooked monomer methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate was polymerized by the RAFT method using monofunctional, difunctional, and trifunctional trithiocarbonates to afford thermoresponsive polymers exhibiting lower critical solution temperature-type phase transitions in aqueous solution. The use of the appropriate RAFT agent allowed for the preparation and systematic variation of polymers with defined molar mass, end-groups, and architecture, including amphiphilic diblock, symmetrical triblock, and triarm star-block copolymers, containing polystyrene as permanently hydrophobic constituent. The cloud points (CPs) of the various polymers proved to be sensitive to all varied parameters, namely molar mass, nature, and number of the end-groups, and the architecture, up to relatively high molar masses. Thus, CPs of the polymers can be adjusted within the physiological interesting range of 2040 degrees C. Remarkably, CPs increased with the molar mass, even when hydrophilic end groups were attached to the polymers. KW - water-soluble polymers KW - diblock copolymers KW - triblock copolymers KW - star-block copolymers KW - reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) KW - LCST KW - stimuli-sensitive polymers Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.26116 SN - 0887-624X VL - 50 IS - 16 SP - 3313 EP - 3323 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER -