Optically active hybrid particles constructed by chiral helical substituted polyacetylene and POSS

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science 2020-10, Vol.137 (39), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Shang, Jiaqi, Mei, Song, Zhao, Danyu, Deng, Jianping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: copolymers; Crosslinking; Dichroism; Free radical polymerization; Free radicals; Materials science; Morphology; Optical activity; Polyacetylene; Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane; Polymers; Porosity; radical polymerization; Substitutes; Suspension polymerization; Thermal stability
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.49167

Optically active hybrid particles consisting of chiral organic component and inorganic component integrate the individual advantages of the components in one entity. This article reports a new type of optically active hybrid particles constructed by helical substituted polyacetylene and octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OvPOSS). The hybrid particles were prepared in a two‐step process. First, helical substituted polyacetylene with pendent vinyl groups was synthesized and named as macromonomer (MM). Then, hybrid particles were prepared from MM and OvPOSS by free radical suspension polymerization, in which OvPOSS acted simultaneously as comonomer and crosslinking agent. OvPOSS and MM together constituted a crosslinked network and formed spherical, porous hybrid particles. The resulting hybrid particles exhibited the desired optical activity, according to circular dichroism spectroscopy measurement. As an organic/inorganic hybrid molecule itself, OvPOSS moderately improved the thermostability of the organic component and meanwhile increased the porosity of the hybrid particles. It also helped to tune the surface morphology of the hybrid particles. The present study provides a novel class of optically active hybrid particles, and the preparation strategy may further work as a versatile platform for developing novel chiral hybrid materials.