Synthesis of polystyrene-poly(methacrylic acid) amphiphilic block copolymers by free-radical polymerization through chain-transfer and hydrosilylation reactions

Amphiphilic polystyrene-poly(methacrylic acid) block copolymers of various compositions have been synthesized by free-radical polymerization via chain-transfer and hydrosilylation reactions, as established by viscometry, IR spectroscopy, and fractionation measurements. The compositional homogeneity of the block copolymers worsens with an increase in the content of a low-molecular-mass monomer in the starting mixture and is independent of the nature of the terminal unit of a macromonomer.