Accessibility of Responsive End-Caps in Films Composed of Stimuli-Responsive, Depolymerizable Poly(phthalaldehydes)

作者:DiLauro Anthony M; Zhang Hua; Baker Matthew S; Wong Flory; Sen Ayusman*; Phillips Scott T
来源:Macromolecules, 2013, 46(18): 7257-7265.
DOI:10.1021/ma401463e

摘要

Polymers that are capable of depolymerizing completely from head-to-tail upon cleavage of an end-cap from the terminus of the polymer have emerged recently as a new strategy for creating stimuli-responsive solid-state materials with amplified responses. In theory, solid-state materials made from these polymers will respond most efficiently to a stimulus in solution when the polymer end-caps are displayed into solution at the solid-liquid interface, rather than being buried in the solid-state material. This article defines two strategies for increasing the likelihood that end-caps are displayed, at this Interface. A microscale-pump made from films of depolymerizable poly(phthalaldehyde) serves as a test system for evaluating the location of end-caps in the films. By measuring the flow rate initiated by depolymerization of the polymers within the films, we determined that both the polymer length and hydrophilicity of the end-caps affect the density of end-caps at the solid liquid interface.

  • 出版日期2013-9-24

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