Arborescent Polymers: Highly Branched Homo-and Copolymers with Unusual Properties

Abstract

High molecular weight dendritic polymers were synthesized using anionic polymerization and grafting. Aborescent polystyrenes with branching functionalities varying from 5E4-5E8, weight average molecular weights of 14-22 000 and low polydispersity indices (PDI less than 1.2) were obtained. Unusual physical properties, consistent with a rigid sphere morphology, resulted from the very compact structure of these materials. The grafting technique was extended to the preparation of amphiphilic copolymers incorporating an aborescent polystyrene core with end linked poly(ethylene oxide) segments by a grafting from scheme. Copolymers with a high polyisoprene content were also obtained by a grafting onto scheme.