Thesis
Hypercrosslinked polymer microspheres : synthesis, functionalisation and application
- Creator
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2012
- Thesis identifier
- T13166
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Hypercrosslinked polymers are an exciting class of polymeric materials with unique properties which have found success in several fields of application. In order to further develop the potential of these materials, but also open them up to new applications, the introduction of functional groups would be extremely beneficial. New methods for the chemical functionalisation of such materials are thus the primary focus of the work presented in this thesis. Introduction of ion‐exchange functionality into hypercrosslinked polymers has been demonstrated. Post‐polymerisation sulfonation reactions provided access into hypercrosslinked polymers with strong cation‐exchange (SCX) functionality. Different sulfonation reagents were investigated and the sulfonation conditions optimised. Using these optimised conditions, hypercrosslinked polymers with specific surface areas in excess of 1,000 m2/g and controllable sulfonic acid loading levels were synthesised. Strong anionexchange (SAX) functionality was also introduced into hypercrosslinked polymers as a complementary functionality to that present in the SCX materials. The synthetic protocol was optimised to allow the synthesis of polymers with ultra‐high specific surface areas and variable quaternary ammonium salt loading levels. The novel SCX and SAX polymers were then applied as solidphase extraction (SPE) sorbents in the selective extraction of pharmaceuticals from complex real water samples, and were shown to compare favourably with commercially available SCX and SAX SPE sorbents. The copper(I) catalysed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition reaction, the most popular reaction of the Sharpless 'click chemistry' family, was investigated as a potential route for functionalising hypercrosslinked materials. Azide‐ and alkynecontaining monomers were prepared and incorporated into the polymers, however the synthesis conditions employed during the hypercrosslinking reactions resulted in loss of these functionalities, thus the cycloaddition was carried out prior to hypercrosslinking. A method of post‐hypercrosslinking click functionalisation was also developed. Using both functional monomer and post‐hypercrosslinking reaction strategies, functionalised polymers with ultrahigh specific surface areas, in excess of 1,000 m2/g, were prepared.
- Resource Type
- Note
- Strathclyde theses - ask staff. Thesis no. : T13166
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2012
- Former identifier
- 947486
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