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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
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Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...

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The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into the...

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Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

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Spreading dynamics of a functionalized polymer latex.

Jakob Kisbye Dreyer¹, Tommy Nylander, Ola J Karlsson

¹Physical Chemistry 1, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. jakobdr@sund.ku.dk

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

|January 21, 2011

Summary

This study reveals how functionalized polymer nanoparticles spread on surfaces. Spreading transitions from fast to slow, influenced by substrate wettability and particle size, not particle functionalization.

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Chemistry
Nanotechnology

Background:

Functionalized polymer nanoparticles are crucial binders in technologies like paper and coatings.
Particle functionalization presents a dichotomy: enhancing adhesion while potentially hindering substrate spreading.
Understanding nanoparticle spreading is key to optimizing material performance.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the spreading kinetics of individual functionalized vinyl acetate-co-ethylene polymer nanoparticles on inorganic substrates.
To elucidate the factors governing the transition from initial fast spreading to a slower regime.
To model the scaling relationships between nanoparticle height and width during spreading.

Main Methods:

Utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging to observe individual nanoparticle spreading.
Analyzed spreading kinetics under varying substrate wettability and particle functionalization levels.
Developed theoretical models to describe observed scaling behaviors.

Main Results:

Spreading kinetics exhibited a transition from a fast initial phase to a slower phase, independent of particle functionalization.
The transition point was dictated by substrate wettability and occurred at a size-dependent contact angle.
A scaling relationship (h ∼ a(3/2)) was observed between nanoparticle height (h) and width (a).
High functionalization levels impeded kinetics in the slow spreading regime, attributed to nanoscale stick-slip transitions.

Conclusions:

Nanoparticle spreading is governed by a transition influenced by substrate properties and particle size, not functionalization degree.
A nanoscale stick-slip mechanism at interface stress around 6 kPa explains the observed kinetics.
The developed models accurately describe the scaling relations of spreading nanoparticles on diverse substrates.