Amphiphilic random copolymers of various molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and alkyl-hydrophobic acrylates were synthesized via microwave-assisted reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Poly(ethylene glycol)monomethacrylate (PEGMA, average Mn 200 and 400 molecular weight), –OH terminal group, and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether monomethacrylate (PEGMMA, average Mn 200, 400, and 1000 molecular weight), –OCH<sub>3 </sub>terminal group, were used as the hydrophilic monomers. Each series of PEG-functionalized copolymers was produced using an alkyl-hydrophobic acrylate such as butyl acrylate (BA) or Lauryl acrylate (LA). The copolymers were successfully produced synthetically utilizing a microwave, giving comparable results to a conventional procedure in a shorter timeframe. The PEG-functionalized copolymers provide a systematic trend of solution properties including surface tension, critical micelle concentration (CMC), foam lifetime, and foam degradation over hot heptane. Lower molecular weight PEG copolymers (average Mn 200) were able to reduce the surface tension of water better than its heavier molecular weight counterparts. The characterization of the copolymers was examined by <sup>1</sup>H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR-ATR), and a Dynamic Foam Analyzer (DFA). The copolymers described are promising additives for aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF).

Microwave-assisted PEG copolymer synthesis for aqueous film-forming foams

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