Synthesis and properties of N-isopropylacrylamide and benzylmethacrylate-based amphiphilic block copolymers on different interphase surfaces.

New amphiphilic block copolymers on based benzylmethacrylates or 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl methacrylate and N-isopropylacrylamide with high yields (89–94%) and MM 1.2∙105 and 1.63∙105 were synthesized. The relative constants of chain transfer to tris-(pentafluorophenyl)germanium during the radical polymerization of 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl methacrylate and benzylmethacrylate were 1.26 and 0.45, respectively. The structure of the copolymers was confirmed by IR and NMR spectroscopy. By the method of TGA analysis, the temperature of the beginning of decomposition of polymers was established, which amounted to 228.2 ºC and 150 ºC for the fluorinated and non-fluorinated block copolymer, respectively. The properties of polymers in solutions were studied by GPC, molecular hydrodynamics and optics. For both fluorinated and non-fluorinated samples, only macromolecules were observed in dilute solutions. The behavior of a non-fluorinated sample was well described as a coil in a good solvent, while fluorinated macromolecules were characterized by a compressed coil conformation, due to the presence of fluorine in the polymer structure. It was shown that the block copolymers formed stable Langmuir monolayers with high surface pressures (50–58 mN/m), and the transferred Langmuir–Blodgett films on silicon wafers were hydrophilic (water contact angles are 68–73 ºC). A large hysteresis loop on the surface pressure isotherm obtained under compression-expansion conditions for a fluorinated block copolymer indicates significant inter- and intramolecular interactions at the water–air interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]