One-step photolytic synthesis of hydrophobic porous polymer materials by the copolymerization of the dimethacrylate—alkyl methacrylate system in the presence of methanol

Abstract

Hydrophobic porous polymer materials were synthesized by one-step visible light polymerization from compositions consisting of phthalate-containing oligoester di(meth)acrylate MDP-2, methanol, and alkyl methacrylate (butyl methacrylate, ethylhexyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate, and stearyl methacrylate) compositions. The highest hydrophobization effect is observed for stearyl methacrylate. The maximum MDP-2 block photopolymerization rate is by 16–50 times higher than that of alkyl methacrylates. The specific surface areas of the synthesized porous polymers reach 4.2 m² g⁻¹, and the pore size ranges from 5.5 to 17 µm. The addition of stearyl methacrylate to the composition leads to the pore size distribution narrowing. The principal possibility of using these photopolymerizable compositions as stationary phases for liquid chromatography is shown.