Network Structure in Acrylate Systems: Effect of Junction Topology on Cross-Link Density and Macroscopic Gel Properties

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b01070
• Publication Date: 2016-08-22T16:43:12Z
• Authors: Bing Wu; Walter Chassé; Ron Peters; Ton Brooijmans; Aylvin A. Dias; Andreas Heise; Christopher J. Du...; Arno P. M. Kentgens; Dermot F. Brougham; Victor M. Litvinov
• Keywords: Rubber elasticity; Polymer network

A range of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based polyacrylate networks with two different topological properties were synthesized by photoinitiated free-radical polymerization and analyzed mechanical, chromatographic, NMR methods. Comparison between ziplike pointlike junctions pinpointed the critical role network topology in generating so-called "short chain abnormality" polymer dynamics. In particular, double quantum (DQ) analysis identified strong constraints on isotropic movement chains directly resulting increased effective functionality system. The failure classical rubber elasticity theory treating cross-links is found to arise primarily from non-Gaussian behavior these caused constraints.