POS1-0390
Precision Synthesis and Marine Biodegradability Evaluation of Monodisperse Vinyl Oligomers Using Living Polymerization and Chromatographic Separation
When and Where
Nov 30, -0001
12:00am - 12:00am
Presenter(s)
Okamoto Shokei (Nagoya University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a serious global environmental issue due to the persistence of plastic waste in the natural environment. Therefore, the development and evaluation of biodegradable plastic materials have become increasingly important. Although vinyl polymers constitute a major class of plastic materials, they generally exhibit low biodegradability in the natural environment owing to their stable carbon-carbon backbones. Nevertheless, vinyl oligomers with lower molecular weights may be biodegradable under natural conditions. However, the relationship between the degree of polymerization and the biodegradability of vinyl oligomers has not yet been clarified.
To clarify this relationship, it is necessary to isolate well-defined monodisperse oligomers and evaluate the biodegradability of each oligomer. To date, methods for isolating monodisperse oligomers with specific degrees of polymerization have been developed by combining living polymerization with flash chromatography. Our laboratory has previously reported that monodisperse components can be isolated from oligomer mixtures by recycling preparative size-exclusion chromatography (SEC).
In this study, we investigated the synthesis of oligomers with degrees of polymerization of up to approximately 10 from representative vinyl monomers, such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, by living radical polymerization. The obtained oligomer mixtures were then separated into monodisperse components by recycling preparative SEC. Furthermore, the marine biodegradability of each monodisperse oligomer was evaluated by biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) testing, in which the degree of biodegradation was calculated based on the amount of oxygen consumed during microbial degradation.
To clarify this relationship, it is necessary to isolate well-defined monodisperse oligomers and evaluate the biodegradability of each oligomer. To date, methods for isolating monodisperse oligomers with specific degrees of polymerization have been developed by combining living polymerization with flash chromatography. Our laboratory has previously reported that monodisperse components can be isolated from oligomer mixtures by recycling preparative size-exclusion chromatography (SEC).
In this study, we investigated the synthesis of oligomers with degrees of polymerization of up to approximately 10 from representative vinyl monomers, such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, by living radical polymerization. The obtained oligomer mixtures were then separated into monodisperse components by recycling preparative SEC. Furthermore, the marine biodegradability of each monodisperse oligomer was evaluated by biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) testing, in which the degree of biodegradation was calculated based on the amount of oxygen consumed during microbial degradation.
