High-performance Flow Chemistry Platform for Scalable Continuous Synthesis of Branched Block Copolymers with Precise Chain Structures

Bang-Bang Wang; Zhuang Zhang; Jing-Tao Wang; Li Pan; Yue-Sheng Li; Dong-Po Song

doi:10.1007/s10118-025-3273-2

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High-performance Flow Chemistry Platform for Scalable Continuous Synthesis of Branched Block Copolymers with Precise Chain Structures

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2025-02-25

- High-performance Flow Chemistry Platform for Scalable Continuous Synthesis of Branched Block Copolymers with Precise Chain Structures
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 43, Issue 3, Pages: 457-467(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  a.Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
  b.School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Author bio：
  
  dongpo.song@tju.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-025-3273-2
  CLC： M
- Received：21 October 2024，
  
  Revised：2024-11-18，
  
  Accepted：26 November 2024，
  
  Online First：17 January 2025，
  
  Published：01 March 2025
- Accepted：
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Wang, B. B.; Zhang, Z.; Wang, J. T.; Pan, L.; Li, Y. S.; Song, D. P. High-performance flow chemistry platform for scalable continuous synthesis of branched block copolymers with precise chain structures. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 457–467

Bang-Bang Wang, Zhuang Zhang, Jing-Tao Wang, et al. High-performance Flow Chemistry Platform for Scalable Continuous Synthesis of Branched Block Copolymers with Precise Chain Structures[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(3): 457-467.
Wang, B. B.; Zhang, Z.; Wang, J. T.; Pan, L.; Li, Y. S.; Song, D. P. High-performance flow chemistry platform for scalable continuous synthesis of branched block copolymers with precise chain structures. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 457–467 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3273-2.

Bang-Bang Wang, Zhuang Zhang, Jing-Tao Wang, et al. High-performance Flow Chemistry Platform for Scalable Continuous Synthesis of Branched Block Copolymers with Precise Chain Structures[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(3): 457-467. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3273-2.

摘要

A powerful flow chemistry platform for scalable synthesis of branched block copolymers was developed. This new method has many advantages over traditional batch methods

including high-throughput production (≥ 96 g/d)

high efficiency in obtaining polymer libraries (≥ 528 samples/d)

precise degree of polymerization (DP ≤ 4 repeat units)

narrow molecular weight distribution (PDI < 1.2)

and high stability over time (SD ≤ 3%).

Abstract

Cutting-edge research has primarily focused on flow synthesis of linear block copolymers

lacking the ability for manipulating chain architectures for more extensive applications. Herein

we develop a flow chemistry platform for the continuous microflow synthesis of bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs) using a grafting-through method. This involves performing ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of two different macromonomers within two microfluidic reactors connected in series. The microflow environment allows for complete monomer conversion within a few tens of seconds

benefiting from the superior mixing efficiency achieved in Z-shaped channels as indicated by both theoretical simulations and experimental results. Consequently

a library of well-defined BBCPs of up to 528 distinct samples can be produced within one day through automation of the continuous procedure

while keeping precise control on degree of polymerization (DP<4) and polydispersity indices (PDI<1.2). The synthetic method is generally applicable to different macromonomers with different compositions and contour lengths

yielding libraries of branched block copolymers with great diversity in physiochemical properties and chain architectures. This work presents a powerful platform for high-throughput production of branched copolymers

significantly lowering the costs of the materials for real applications.

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references

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