Synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers based on acrylic acid, fluoroalkyl acrylates and n-butyl acrylate in organic, aqueous–organic, and aqueous media via RAFT polymerization

Amphiphilic narrow dispersed copolymers of acrylic acid and fluoroalkyl acrylates are synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using dibenzyl trithiocarbonate in DMF solution. These copolymers and polyacrylic acid containing the trithiocarbonate group within the polymeric chain are used for the synthesis of triblock copolymers in organic, aqueous–organic or aqueous media by chain extension with n-butyl acrylate or its mixture with fluoroalkyl acrylates. Both dispersion polymerization and emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization lead to self-assembling of triblock copolymers in the core–shell particles; the former route provides the formation of microstructured polymer films with a percolated structure.