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Macromolecular synthesis using mesoporous zeolites
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2000
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Macromolecular ChemistryEngineeringRing-opening PolymerizationChemistryPolymersChemical EngineeringMacromolecular EngineeringZeoliteHybrid MaterialsPolymer ChemistryFree Radical PolymerizationPolymer EngineeringMesoporous ZeolitesCatalysisMolecular EngineeringPolymer ReactionPolymer SciencePolymer CharacterizationPolymerization KineticsFunctional MaterialsPolymer Synthesis
Mesoporous zeolites such as MCM-41 were found to serve as nano-flasks for free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), where the formation of long-lived propagating radicals was observed. Al-MCM-41 with a Lewis-acidic aluminosilicate framework catalyzed living ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters such as δ-valerolactone and ϵ-caprolactone, to give narrow molecular-weight-distribution polyesters. With Ti-MCM-41, a titanate-containing mesoporous silica, ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone also took place to give a high molecular-weight polyester. On the other hand, with Ti-MCM-41 in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO), ethylene was polymerized to give a high molecular-weight, linear polyethylene.