Journal Article

Evolution of high-temperature molecular relaxations in poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate) upon network formation

Pastorczak, Marcin, Matyjaszewski, Krzysztof, Ulanski, Jacek, Okrasa, Lidia, Kowalewski, Tomasz, Yoon, Jeong Ae, Koynov, Kaloian, Kozanecki, Marcin

2015

Overview

Copolymers of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (poly(MEO 2 MA)) are regarded as bioinert replacements of poly( N -isopropylacrylamide) in some biomedical applications. Networks of poly(MEO 2 MA) of various architecture form thermo-responsive hydrogels. Here, we present dielectric and mechanical spectroscopy studies on segmental motions and network relaxation processes in linear poly(MEO 2 MA) and its networks — bare network and the network grafted with short poly(MEO 2 MA) chains. We show that the α process assigned to the segmental motions of poly(MEO 2 MA) is independent on the polymer topology and the glass transition temperature, T g , associated with this process equals 235–236 K for all investigated systems. The α′ relaxation observed above T g by dynamical mechanical analysis is assigned to the sub-Rouse process. It strongly depends on the polymer network architecture and slows down by four orders of magnitude upon network formation.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V,Springer
• Subject: Architecture / ATRP / Characterization and Evaluation of Materials / Chemistry / Chemistry and Materials Science / Complex Fluids and Microfluidics / Dielectric relaxation / Dynamical systems / Dynamics / Food Science / Grafting / INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY / Mechanical analysis / Molecular relaxations / Nanotechnology and Microengineering / Network formation / Networks / Original Contribution / Physical Chemistry / Poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate) / Polymer network / Polymer Sciences / Soft and Granular Matter