Synthesis of photoaddressable epoxy polymers having azobenzene

MARIANELA VICTORES; MARÍA J. GALANTE; PATRICIA A. OYANGUREN

Chiang Mai

Congreso; IUPAC World Polymer Congress Macro 2014; 2014

IUPAC

The aim of the present study was to synthesize linear azopolymers containing alkyl chains and to study the formation of networks with physical cross-links through tail-to-tail association of alkyl chains. The synthesized linear polymers with a hydrophilic main chain and some hydrophobic pendant chains are also known as amphiphilic polymers. As the polar polymer backbone does not have chemical affinity with the hydrophobic side chains, we may expect a phase separation tendency between the main chain parts of the polymers and the alkyl side chain parts, generating domains of associated side chains. The diepoxy monomer was based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A. The comonomers used were two different monoamines: Disperse Orange-3 (DO3) and docecylamine (DA). Several epoxy-amine linear polymers having variable DO3/DA relations: 0.25/0.75, 0.50/0.50, 0.75/0.25, were prepared. To arrest structuration processes, polymers were stored at -5 ºC, a temperature that fall below their glass transition temperatures. We have analyzed phase separation process, final morphologies, the thermoreversibility characteristics, and the optical properties of the physical gels formed.