Polytetrahydrofuran Amphiphilic Networks. I. Synthesis And Characterization Of Polytetrahydrofuran Acrylate Ditelechelic And Polyacrylamide-I-Potytetrahydrofuran Networks

A series of novel amphiphilic polyacrylamide-l-polytetrahydrofuran (PAm-l-PTHF) networks were prepared by the free-radical copolymerization of hydrophobic ditelechelic polytetrahydrofuran acrylate (PTHFDA) with hydrophilic acrylamide. PTHFDA was synthesized by acrylation of the corresponding hydroxycapped PTHF with acrylic acid in cyclohexane. After acrylation, there was no significant difference in the molecular weights and molecular weight distributions between the original PTHF and the resulting PTHFDA. Network structures and compositions were characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and swelling data. The networks can swell both in organic solvents and in water, which indicates that they are amphiphilic. The swelling of the networks in different solvents is composition-dependent. According to differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and swelling tests, the networks have a microphase-separated and bicontinuous morphology. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.