Nanochemistry and biotechnology
Surface-active tri-block copolymers – derivatives of Diane resin as low temperature initiators of water dispersion polymerization 
Volianiuk K.A., Harhay Kh.I., Mitina N.Ye, Bratychak M.M., Astahova O.T., Zaichenko A.S.
Lviv Polytechnic National University.
St.Bandera str., 12, Lviv – 79013, Ukraine.
E-mail: zaichenk@polynet.lviv.ua

Functional polymer particles (FPs) possessing controlled colloidal-chemical and special physical, chemical and biomedical properties are of a great interest for non-linear optics, catalysis, visualization, and immunodiagnostics. The problems of FPs development are controlling particle size and morphology, irreversible surface functionalization, and absence of residual reagents and by-side products. One of the routes providing the FPs synthesis without undesired subsequences is using surface–active functional initiators forming exclusively functional radicals which enter into polymer molecules and stabilize FPs formed at water dispersion polymerization (WDP). We present here block copolymers – derivatives of Diane resin (DR) (scheme) obtained via reaction of epoxide groups of DR with hydroxyl terminated 2-methyl(ethyl)polyoxazolines (POX) or polyethylene glycols (PEG). They are water soluble surfactants forming micelle-like structures (MLS). An availability of side secondary hydroxyls provides formation of functional free radicals in RedOx systems with Ce4+ salts during WDP. Kinetics of styrene (St) emulsion polymerization initiated by polymer initiator - stabilizer was studied by dilatometer technique. Formed FPs consist of polySt core and functional shell of POX or PEG irreversibly attached in a result of covalent binding with polySt core.

Colloidal-chemical characteristics and structures of the polymers, MLS and resulting FPs were studied using TEM, DLS, NMR and IR spectroscopy methods.