Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation

This work aimed at developing a synthetic route towards highly branched poly(isoprene) from commercially available raw materials, in good yield and devoid of microgelation, i.e., to prepare a completely soluble polymer via the versatile technique anionic polymerisation. The polymerisations were cond...

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Main Authors: Habibu, Shehu, Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad, Mainal, Azizah
Format: Article
Published: Royal Society of Chemistry 2018
Subjects:
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author Habibu, Shehu
Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad
Mainal, Azizah
author_facet Habibu, Shehu
Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad
Mainal, Azizah
author_sort Habibu, Shehu
collection UM
description This work aimed at developing a synthetic route towards highly branched poly(isoprene) from commercially available raw materials, in good yield and devoid of microgelation, i.e., to prepare a completely soluble polymer via the versatile technique anionic polymerisation. The polymerisations were conducted under high vacuum conditions using sec-butyllithium as initiator at 50 °C in toluene. Toluene served both as a solvent and as a chain-Transfer agent. The polar modifier used was tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), and a commercial mixture of divinylbenzene (DVB) was employed as the branching agent for the "living" poly(isoprenyl)lithium anions. The nature of the reaction was studied on the TMEDA/Li ratio as well as the DVB/Li ratio. The obtained branched polymers were characterised by triple detection size exclusion chromatography (SEC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and melt rheology. Broad molecular weight distributions have been obtained for the highly branched polymer products. 1H NMR spectroscopy reveals the dominance of 3,4-polyisoprene microstructure. It was found that the complex viscosities and dynamic moduli of the branched samples were much lower compared to their linear counterparts. The results conform with earlier findings by the "Strathclyde team" for radical polymerisation systems. This methodology has the potential of providing soluble branched vinyl polymers at low cost using the readily available raw materials.
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spelling um.eprints-219852019-08-20T07:05:36Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/21985/ Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation Habibu, Shehu Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad Mainal, Azizah Q Science (General) QD Chemistry This work aimed at developing a synthetic route towards highly branched poly(isoprene) from commercially available raw materials, in good yield and devoid of microgelation, i.e., to prepare a completely soluble polymer via the versatile technique anionic polymerisation. The polymerisations were conducted under high vacuum conditions using sec-butyllithium as initiator at 50 °C in toluene. Toluene served both as a solvent and as a chain-Transfer agent. The polar modifier used was tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), and a commercial mixture of divinylbenzene (DVB) was employed as the branching agent for the "living" poly(isoprenyl)lithium anions. The nature of the reaction was studied on the TMEDA/Li ratio as well as the DVB/Li ratio. The obtained branched polymers were characterised by triple detection size exclusion chromatography (SEC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and melt rheology. Broad molecular weight distributions have been obtained for the highly branched polymer products. 1H NMR spectroscopy reveals the dominance of 3,4-polyisoprene microstructure. It was found that the complex viscosities and dynamic moduli of the branched samples were much lower compared to their linear counterparts. The results conform with earlier findings by the "Strathclyde team" for radical polymerisation systems. This methodology has the potential of providing soluble branched vinyl polymers at low cost using the readily available raw materials. Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 Article PeerReviewed Habibu, Shehu and Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad and Mainal, Azizah (2018) Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation. RSC Advances, 8 (21). pp. 11684-11692. ISSN 2046-2069, DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra00884a <https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra00884a>. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra00884a doi:10.1039/c8ra00884a
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
QD Chemistry
Habibu, Shehu
Sarih, Norazilawati Muhamad
Mainal, Azizah
Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title_full Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title_fullStr Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title_short Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the “Strathclyde route” in anionic polymerisation
title_sort synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene exploiting the strathclyde route in anionic polymerisation
topic Q Science (General)
QD Chemistry
work_keys_str_mv AT habibushehu synthesisandcharacterisationofhighlybranchedpolyisopreneexploitingthestrathclyderouteinanionicpolymerisation
AT sarihnorazilawatimuhamad synthesisandcharacterisationofhighlybranchedpolyisopreneexploitingthestrathclyderouteinanionicpolymerisation
AT mainalazizah synthesisandcharacterisationofhighlybranchedpolyisopreneexploitingthestrathclyderouteinanionicpolymerisation