ma8b01923_si_001.pdf (4.16 MB)
Porous Polystyrene Monoliths Prepared from in Situ Simultaneous Interpenetrating Polymer Networks: Modulation of Morphology by Polymerization Kinetics
journal contribution
posted on 2019-01-11, 13:08 authored by Petra Utroša, Ema Žagar, Sebastijan Kovačič, David PahovnikSemi-interpenetrating polymer networks
(semi-IPNs) were prepared
by in situ simultaneous orthogonal polymerizations,
where the linear poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was synthesized
by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and the poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) (PS) network was formed by free-radical
polymerization of styrene/divinylbenzene. Semi-IPNs were used as the
precursors for the preparation of porous PS monoliths. To this end,
the PCL domains were selectively removed by hydrolysis under basic
conditions. By changing the amount of organocatalyst used for the
ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, the relative
polymerization kinetics of both monomers was varied, which has a pronounced
effect on the morphology of thus-obtained PS frameworks.