Volume 63, Issue 2 e202314483
Research Article

Organocatalyzed Photo-Controlled Synthesis of Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Fluorinated Alternating Copolymers

Chengda Zhou

Chengda Zhou

Department of Macromolecular Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China

Contribution: ​Investigation (lead)

Search for more papers by this author
Zexi Zhang

Zexi Zhang

Department of Macromolecular Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China

Search for more papers by this author
Weiping Li

Weiping Li

Division of Natural and Applied Sciences & Environmental Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Suzhou, Kunshan, 215316 China

Search for more papers by this author
Prof. Dr. Mao Chen

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Mao Chen

Department of Macromolecular Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 28 November 2023
Citations: 14

Graphical Abstract

A robust organocatalyzed photo-controlled radical alternating copolymerization was established, enabling facile access to binary and ternary fluorinated copolymers with predefined ultrahigh molecular weights (UHMWs), well-defined structures and functional pendants. The UHMW fluoropolymers presented clearly improved physical properties, and furnished anticorrosive, (super)hydrophobic attributes as protective coatings on diverse substrates.

Abstract

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight (UHMW) polymers with tailored structures are highly desirable for the outstanding properties. In this work, we developed a novel photoorganocatalyzed controlled radical alternating copolymerizations of fluoroalkyl maleimide and diverse vinyl comonomers, enabling efficient preparation of fluorinated copolymers of predetermined UHMWs and well-defined structures at high conversions. Versatility of this method was demonstrated by expanding to controlled terpolymerization, which allows facial access toward fluorinated terpolymers of UHMWs and functional pendants. The obtained copolymers exhibited attractive physical properties and furnished thermoplastic, anticorrosive and (super)hydrophobic attributes as coatings on different substrates. Molecular simulations provided insights into the coating morphology, which unveiled a fluorous protective layer on the top surface with polar groups attached to the bottom substrate, resulting in good adhesion and hydrophobicity, simultaneously. This synthetic method and customized copolymers shed light on the design of high-performance coatings by macromolecular engineering.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.