Enhancement of Surface Wettability by Incorporating Polar Initiator Fragments at Chain Ends of Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers

Lanhe Zhang; John M. Torkelson

doi:10.1021/acsami.7b03525

Enhancement of Surface Wettability by Incorporating Polar Initiator Fragments at Chain Ends of Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers

Lanhe Zhang, John M. Torkelson^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Chemical and Biological Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Simple methods for enhancing hydrophilicity of hydrocarbon polymers are of broad scientific and technological interest. Polystyrene was synthesized via free radical polymerization with initiator fragments incorporated at chain ends. Compared with high molecular weight polystyrene or chains with nonpolar ends, the dynamic receding water contact angle is reduced by as much as ∼30° in ∼4 kg/mol polystyrene with −COOH and nitrile chain ends. This remarkable enhancement results in surface hydrophilicity that is higher than that of poly(methyl methacrylate). This effective methodology incorporating polar moieties at chain ends of nonpolar polymers can be adapted to existing formulations for enhanced surface properties.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	12176-12181
Number of pages	6
Journal	ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume	9
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b03525
State	Published - Apr 12 2017

Funding

This work was supported by the University Partnership Initiative between Northwestern University and The Dow Chemical Company, a McCormick School of Engineering Terminal Year Fellowship (L.Z.), and a Weertman Fellowship (L.Z.).

Keywords

chain end
free radical polymerization
hydrogen bonding
hydrophilicity
low-molecular-weight polymers
polystyrene
receding contact angle
surface wettability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science

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10.1021/acsami.7b03525

Cite this

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title = "Enhancement of Surface Wettability by Incorporating Polar Initiator Fragments at Chain Ends of Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers",

abstract = "Simple methods for enhancing hydrophilicity of hydrocarbon polymers are of broad scientific and technological interest. Polystyrene was synthesized via free radical polymerization with initiator fragments incorporated at chain ends. Compared with high molecular weight polystyrene or chains with nonpolar ends, the dynamic receding water contact angle is reduced by as much as ∼30° in ∼4 kg/mol polystyrene with −COOH and nitrile chain ends. This remarkable enhancement results in surface hydrophilicity that is higher than that of poly(methyl methacrylate). This effective methodology incorporating polar moieties at chain ends of nonpolar polymers can be adapted to existing formulations for enhanced surface properties.",

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AB - Simple methods for enhancing hydrophilicity of hydrocarbon polymers are of broad scientific and technological interest. Polystyrene was synthesized via free radical polymerization with initiator fragments incorporated at chain ends. Compared with high molecular weight polystyrene or chains with nonpolar ends, the dynamic receding water contact angle is reduced by as much as ∼30° in ∼4 kg/mol polystyrene with −COOH and nitrile chain ends. This remarkable enhancement results in surface hydrophilicity that is higher than that of poly(methyl methacrylate). This effective methodology incorporating polar moieties at chain ends of nonpolar polymers can be adapted to existing formulations for enhanced surface properties.

KW - chain end

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KW - hydrogen bonding

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KW - low-molecular-weight polymers

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KW - receding contact angle

KW - surface wettability

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Enhancement of Surface Wettability by Incorporating Polar Initiator Fragments at Chain Ends of Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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