Acrylamide (Am) and acrylic acid (AA) was polymerized by RAFT to create dynamic copolymer networks with pendant carboxylic acids which were transiently crosslinked to form anhydrides via dehydration by carbodiimide. The gels formed as a result of covalent crosslinking hydrolyzed back to the liquid polymer and can be refueled multiple times to reproduce the anhydride crosslinked gel. Rheological experiments were performed on the transient gels and utilized to study the corresponding effects of temperature, carbodiimide concentration, chain length and varied ratio of Am/AA on the storage (G’) and loss (G”) moduli of the polymer materials and the time taken to decrosslink. Under same conditions, regardless of the temperature used, a G’ of 104 Pa is observed. The decrosslinking time was also observed to decrease as room temperature is approached in experiments carried out at 10oC, 16oC and 22oC respectively. Varied concentrations of carbodiimide at constant temperature reveals a progressive decrease in G’ and the time taken for polymer materials to decrosslink.

Exploring transient covalent crosslinking of dynamic polymer materials using a carbodiimide as a chemical fuel

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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