Synthesis of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-Networks via the Growth of a Living RAFT Network. Part III: Effect of DMSO Content
- 1School of Chemical Sciences
- 2University of Auckland
- 3Dodd-Walls Centre for Quantum and Photonic Technologies
Abstract
Owing to their distinctive nanophase-separated, co-continuous morphology, Amphiphilic polymer co-networks (APCNs) have attracted considerable attention in the past four decades. In 2024, a RAFT-mediated network growth strategy for the synthesis of APCNs was reported. This approach involves first preparing a parent RAFT network, typically a hydrophilic network containing dormant network-RAFT agents, followed by the diffusion and polymerization of hydrophobic monomers within the parent network. This process generates a secondary hydrophobic nanophase within the pre-existing hydrophilic continuous phase, yielding an amphiphilic polymer co-network that fulfils the defining structural characteristics of APCNs. This work reports a systematic study of the effect of DMSO content (10%, 50%, and 75%) on the synthesis of amphiphilic polymer co-networks (APCNs) using the above-mentioned RAFT-mediated network growth strategy. The resulting APCNs comprise a hydrophilic parent network based on oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (OEGA, Mn = 480) and the crosslinker N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis), into which hydrophobic n-butyl acrylate (BA) segments are incorporated through RAFT-mediated network growth. Network chemical composition, thermal properties, and morphology were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, DSC, and SEM, while amphiphilicity was assessed through equilibrium swelling measurements in water and toluene. The DMSO content employed during parent network synthesis was found to exert a pronounced effect on the properties of the resulting APCNs. Among the systems investigated, the APCN derived from a parent gel prepared in 75% DMSO and subjected to 5 h of photogrowth exhibited the most balanced amphiphilic character, displaying swelling ratios of 10.30 in water and 18.24 in toluene.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhai2026synthesis,
title = {{Synthesis of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-Networks via the Growth of a Living RAFT Network. Part III: Effect of DMSO Content}},
author = {Jingyao Zhai and Yueru Zhao and Yihan Zhang and Daniel Clyde and Jianyong Jin},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15010517/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010517/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Synthesis of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-Networks via the Growth of a Living RAFT Network. Part III: Effect of DMSO Content
AU - Jingyao Zhai
AU - Yueru Zhao
AU - Yihan Zhang
AU - Daniel Clyde
AU - Jianyong Jin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15010517/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010517/v1
AB - Owing to their distinctive nanophase-separated, co-continuous morphology, Amphiphilic polymer co-networks (APCNs) have attracted considerable attention in the past four decades. In 2024, a RAFT-mediated network growth strategy for the synthesis of APCNs was reported. This approach involves first preparing a parent RAFT network, typically a hydrophilic network containing dormant network-RAFT agents, followed by the diffusion and polymerization of hydrophobic monomers within the parent network. This process generates a secondary hydrophobic nanophase within the pre-existing hydrophilic continuous phase, yielding an amphiphilic polymer co-network that fulfils the defining structural characteristics of APCNs. This work reports a systematic study of the effect of DMSO content (10%, 50%, and 75%) on the synthesis of amphiphilic polymer co-networks (APCNs) using the above-mentioned RAFT-mediated network growth strategy. The resulting APCNs comprise a hydrophilic parent network based on oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (OEGA, Mn = 480) and the crosslinker N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis), into which hydrophobic n-butyl acrylate (BA) segments are incorporated through RAFT-mediated network growth. Network chemical composition, thermal properties, and morphology were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, DSC, and SEM, while amphiphilicity was assessed through equilibrium swelling measurements in water and toluene. The DMSO content employed during parent network synthesis was found to exert a pronounced effect on the properties of the resulting APCNs. Among the systems investigated, the APCN derived from a parent gel prepared in 75% DMSO and subjected to 5 h of photogrowth exhibited the most balanced amphiphilic character, displaying swelling ratios of 10.30 in water and 18.24 in toluene.
ER -