Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated block copolymers containing carboxylic or sulfonic groups

Two kinds of ionic fluorocarbon block copolymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and polymer-analogue reaction. Fluorinated block copolymers (PTF and PSF) were prepared by ATRP of 2-[(perfluorononenyl)oxy]ethyl methacrylate (FNEMA) using bromine-end-capped poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA-Br) and poly(styrene) (PS-Br) as macroinitiators, respectively, and were characterized by GPC, FT-IR and H-1-NMR. The former (PTF) was followed by hydrolysis of the tert-butyl groups to carboxylic groups, while the latter was followed by sulfonation of the styrene units to sulfonic groups. The degree of hydrolysis of PTF and the level of sulfonation of PSF were measured by H-1-NMR and elemental analysis, respectively. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.