Amphiphilic Polymer Networks by Copolymerization of Bis-Macromonomers

Polymers carrying a polymerizable end group, generally known as macromonomers, have frequently been utilized for the synthesis of graft copolymers (1)(2). When a polymer contains polymerizable groups at both chain ends, -a bis-macromonomer-, polymerization or copolymerization leads to the corresponding networks or segmented copolymer networks respectively. The physicochemical properties of the latter may be expected to be the result of a combination of the properties of segmented polymers at the one hand and of polymer networks at the other. For example, it should be interesting to investigate the morphology of such compounds if they are build up of two incompatible chain segments. The theory of the segmented copolymers would predict a phase separation, the morphology of which is determined by the relative lengths of the two constituting polymers. However, in the network form, phase separation is inhibited due to the restricted chain mobilities and therefore a compatibilization of two incompatible polymers may be expected. As a consequence, new materials with formerly unreachable physicochemical properties could arise.