Synthesis and Characterization of styrene-based biopolymers

D. REYNA; D. A. ESTENOZ; D. M. MARTINO

Montreal

Congreso; 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering; 2009

WCCE8

A study of “bioinspired” polymers, similar to polystyrene (PS) and containing thymine and charged functional groups chemically bonded to the structure of PS, is presented. These environmentally benign, water-soluble and non-toxic polymers undergo a photodimerization reaction of the thymine units when exposed to UV radiation (l~254 nm). The polymers create crosslinked networks in regions of UV exposure, rendering the polymer insoluble in those areas. The molecular structure (molecular weight distribution and chemical composition) and the physical properties (solubility and photoreactivity) of the thymine-containing polymers are determined by the synthesis and the curing conditions. Vinylbenzyl thymine (VBT) was copolymerized with vinylbenzyl triethylammonium chloride (VBA) in a free radical polymerization (2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile-AIBN). Aqueous solutions of copolymers were distributed homogeneously on different substrates, irradiated with 254nm or 520nm using a sensitizer (Eosin Y, lmax=520nm). The crosslink was monitored in function of irradiation time, light intensity, comonomer ratio, film thickness and sensitizer concentration using UV-vis and FT-IR.