Cyclodextrins in polymer synthesis: A 'green' route to fluorinated polymers via cyclodextrin complexes in aqueous solution

摘要

Materials made from fluorinated poly(methacrylates) are outstanding due primarily to two special characteristics, hydrophobicity and lipophobicity. Typically. they show strong antifriction and antiadhesive properties. The established technical synthesis of fluoropolymers is preferentially carried out by radical polymerization techniques in aqueous emulsions in the presence of fluorinated surfactants, or in organic solvents with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) acting as cosolvents. The demand for environmentally friendly production of various fluoropolymers by using smaller amounts of organic solvents and the abandonment of ozone layer destroying CFCs is a challenge for both industry and scientists. The homopolymerization of different fluorinated methacrylates and acrylates, and also their copolymerization with different kinds of suitable non-fluorinated vinyl monomers such as styrene and stearyl methacrylate in water was easily achieved by the free-radical-initiated polymerization of cyclodextrin-monomer host-guest complexes in water without any added surfactant or cosolvent. References: 32