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Methacrylate functionalisation unlocks new polymerisation potential for itaconic acid
Researchers introduce two new methacrylate-functionalised itaconic acid monomers that achieve high conversions and controlled polymerisation. The approach significantly expands the applicability of this bio-derived platform molecule in advanced polymer materials.
Itaconic acid (IA) is a renewable, increasingly available bio-based molecule, yet its use in polymer synthesis has been limited by low molecular weights and incomplete conversions. This study overcomes these constraints by introducing two newly designed methacrylate-functionalised IA monomers with favourable reactivity.
Using several reversible-deactivation radical polymerisation techniques, including atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP), the researchers achieved well-defined polymers with conversions of at least ninety-eight per cent. At 80 °C, controlled polymerisation was completed in around seventy minutes.
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Wide property range and designable AB-type diblock copolymers
Homopolymers of the two monomers exhibited glass transition temperatures ranging from –40 °C for heptyl-substituted units to 14 °C for benzyl-functionalised variants, demonstrating broad tunability. Controlled kinetics further enabled the targeted synthesis of AB-type diblock copolymers. The heptyl-functionalised segment performed particularly well as a soft block for phase-separated materials, highlighting its potential in advanced polymer architectures. With their high reactivity and versatility, these methacrylate-functionalised IA monomers represent one of the most promising routes for integrating renewably sourced IA into polymer systems.
Source: Hnatyshyn, M. et al., Expanding the polymerization potential of itaconic acid through methacrylate functionalization. Polymer Chemistry, Issue 48 (2025).
