Structurally well-defined C4F9, C7F15, C10F21 and C13F27 end-functionalized polystyrene (RF-PS) and polybutylmethacrylate (RF-PBMA) were prepared by Atom Transfer Polymerization using the RF�tagged initiators. Blends (1/1 wt/wt) of these polymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X- ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical transmittance (OT). The RF-PS/RF-PBMA blends having molecular weights of 20,000 and C7F15 or larger end groups, were optically transparent. The AFM micrographs show crater, necklace and other RF mediated morphologies typically at the submicron scale. TEMs of the PS and PBMA blends show the assembly of nm-sized lamellae and lamellar aggregates into domains with sizes in the micron or nanometer scales depending on MW and RF size. A semi-quantitative �phase diagram� the blends shows that lower MWs and longer RF groups improve phase compatibilities. In addition, telechelic C7F15 and C13F27 functionalized PS and the corresponding PBMA were synthesized by atom transfer polymerization, bromide substitution by sodium azide and click-coupling with propargyl ether. NMR, size exclusion chromatopgraphy and other characterization methods indicated high degrees of end functionalization (= 96%) and narrow MW distributions. The miscibility of (1/1 wt/wt) blends of these polymers was studied by TEM, AFM, DSC and optical transmittance. Blends of the telechelic C7F15 functionalized polymers with molecular weights of 15,000 showed no significant differences with blends of the 15k end- functionalized polymers. However, the AFM and TEM data for the blends of the 30k telechelic polymers showed formation of much smaller and relatively well defined surface and bulk domains. This confirms that beside perfluorocarbon content, the topology of these perfluorocarbon groups plays an important role in blend miscibility.

Blends of perfluorocarbon end-functionalized and telechelic polystyrene/poly n-butyl methacrylate: Synthesis and morphology studies

244th National Meeting (2012)

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