Synthesis and Characterization of Gradient Copolymer Composed of [N-Methyl-perfluorohexane-1-sulfonamide] Ethyl Acrylate and MMA

The controllability of copolymerization as well as the monomer relative reactivity for activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) of [N-methyl-perfluorohexane-1-sulfonamide] ethyl acrylate (C(6)SA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in anisole was studied, the reactivity ratios were calculated by Kelen-Tudos method, which got the apparent reactivity ratios, T-MMA =1. 42 and T-c6SA = 0. 34. The copolymer compositions and the corresponding PMMA-grad-C(6)SA film surface properties during the "living" copolymerization were observed. The synthesis of MMA and C(6)SA via ARGET ATRP showed "living" polymerization characteristics, the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) traces of the copolymers presented the distribution were unimodal and polydispersity index (PDI<1. 3) throughout the reaction, the M of the obtained copolymers increased with comonomer conversion. The static contact angle measurements showed that the surface energy of copolymer was decreased with the growth of the conversion. The compositions of samples during copolymerization were determined by NMR, which showed the content of C(6)SA segments increased with the growth of copolymer chains. The increase of the cumulative composition of C,SA segments along the copolymer chain demonstrated that the gradient copolymer composed of C(6)SA and MMA was synthesized via ARGET ATRP.