Recent Advances In Anionic Polymerization

Over the years the field of anionic polymerization has attracted numerous outstanding scientists, and today it still is being pursued by many researchers all over the world. The exciting discovery of termination-less polymerization processes and living polymers culminating in the development of narrow molecular weight polymers, star polymers, and tailor-made block and graft copolymers, contributed immensely to the rapid expansion of polymer science. Areas of active research in anionic polymerization presently include the structure of ion pairs and their role in regulating polymer structure, ring opening polymerization of heterocyclic monomers, synthesis of well-defined block and graft copolymers including the application of macromers in such systems, telechelic polymers with functional end groups, and other topics. New developments in the organic chemistry of carbanions such as dipolar carbanions impinge on the field of anionic polymerization. More sophisticated characterization techniques have been instrumental in obtaining better correlations between the structure of polymers and that of intermediates leading to their formation. This book contains the proceedings of the international symposium on "Recent Advances in Anionic Polymerization and Related Processes" which was held at the 1986 spring meeting of the American Chemical Society. It was the first Polymer Division-sponsored meeting exclusively devoted to anionic polymerization since the Houston ACS meeting in the spring of 1980. The proceedings of that meeting were published in the book "Anionic Polymerization", ACS Symposium Series No. 166, edited by Dr. J. E. McGrath.

Due to their specific properties, polymers with well-defined structures have been receiving increasing attention over the last several years. Owing to the wide variability of their properties, these specialty polymers have been used in various areas from biomedical engineering to electronics or energy applications. The synthesis of such polymers necessi tates the use of new methods of polymerization which derived from an insight into the mechanism of polymerization reactions. A NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Frontiers in Polymerization Catalysis and Polymer Synthesis" was held in BANDOl (FRANCE) in February 1987. Its aim was to assess the new polymerization methods, as well as the latest advances in the mechanisms of conventional polymerization reactions together with their applications to the synthesis of new macromolecular structures. The financial support from the NATO Scientific Affairs Division which covered the "lecturers' accomodation and travel expenses as well as the organization charges of this event gave it international scope. Several industrial companies participate at the meeting and contributed to it success. The organizors who are also editors of these proceedings, want to express their thanks to both NATO Scientific Affairs Division and the companies present at the meeting.

This book presents these important facts: a) The mechanism of anionic polymerization, a more than 50-year challenge in polymer chemistry, has now become better understood; b) Precise synthesis of many polymers with novel architectures (triblock, multi-block, graft, exact graft, comb, cyclic, many armed stars with multi-components, dendrimer-like hyper-branched, and their structural mixed (co)polymers, etc.) have been advanced significantly; c) Based on such polymers, new morphological and self-organizing nano-objects and supra molecular assemblies have been created and widely studied and are considered nanodevices in the fields of nano science and technology; d) New high-tech and industrial applications for polymeric materials synthesized by anionic polymerization have been proposed. These remarkable developments have taken place in the last 15 years. Anionic polymerization continues to be the only truly living polymerization system (100 % termination free under appropriate conditions) and consequently the only one with unique capabilities in the synthesis of well-defined (i.e., precisely controlled molecular weight, nearly mono-disperse molecular weight distribution, structural and compositional homogeneity) complex macromolecular architectures. This book, with contributions from the world’s leading specialists, will be useful for all researchers, including students, working in universities, in research organizations, and in industry.

Recent Advances in Ionic Liquids contains research on the preparation, characterization, and potential applications of stable ionic liquids (ILs). ILs are a class of low- and stable-melting point, ionic compounds that have a variety of properties allowing many of them to be sustainable green solvents. It is promising novel research from top to bottom and has received a lot of interest over the last few decades. It covers the advanced topics of physical, catalytic, chemical, polymeric, and potential applications of ILs. This book features interesting reports on cutting-edge science and technology related to the preparation, characterization, polymerization, and potential applications of ILs. This potentially unique work offers various approaches on the R

This work introduces the basic theories and experimental methods of anionic polymerization as well as the synthesis, analysis and characteristics of anionic polymerized products. It details the creation of linear and branched polymers, random and block copolymers, graft and macromonomers, and many other substances. The work emphasizes the relationship between fundamental principles and commercial applications.;College or university bookstores may purchase five or more copies at a special student price, available on request from Marcel Dekker, Inc.

"Polymer Science and Engineering: Challenges, Needs, and Opportunities," a report issued in 1981 by the National Research Council's ad hoc Panel on Polymer Science and Engineering gives ample support for the urgent need of increased commitment to basic studies on polymers. Needs and opportunities, mentioned in the Panel's list, included polymerization methods, specialty polymers, high performance materials, and in situ (reaction injection molding) polymerization for direct conversion of monomers/oligomers to useful shapes. Clearly, in all these and several other areas, advances in polymer synthesis are needed. Whether one takes a look at the commodity or specialty polymers area or considers areas of growing needs, such as polymers for the automotive, aerospace, electronics, communications, separations, packaging, biomedical, etc., advances in polymer synthesis are needed. Polymeric materials, as they are constantly being modified and improved, fine-tuned for current and additional needs, and more readily adopted by industry and the public, will have a vastly expanding influence on everyday life. However, lack of long-term support of meaningful size for basic research on all facets of polymer chemistry and engineering, with particular emphasis on making needed advances in polymer synthesis, could well stunt the growth of high techn.ology in our country. Expanding this thought, lack of attention to basic research on polymer synthesis could help foster or insure that we won't have materials with performance profiles to meet requirements of emerging technologies and national needs, in a reasonably economic and timely fashion.