Characterization and photoconductivity study of well-defined C60 terminated poly(tert-butyl acrylate-b-styrene)

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) catalyzed by N,N′,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA)/CuBr was performed to synthesize poly (tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA-Br) with predesigned molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. Using the PtBA-Br as macroinitiator, the PtBA-block-PS copolymer was prepared through ATRP. After terminated bromine atom was converted to end-functional azide group (P(tBA-b-St)-N3), C60 end-capped PtBA-PS block copolymers (P(tBA-b-St)-C60) were synthesized by reacting C60 with P(tBA-b-St)-N3. GPC characterizations showed that C60 was chemically bonded to the end of P(tBA-b-St) chain and the products were mono-substituted. FT-IR, UV-Vis measurements confirmed that hydrolysis of P(tBA-b-St)-C60 resulted in amphiphilic C60 end-capped PAA-PS block copolymers. In additional, the photoconductivity of P(tBA-b-St)-C60 was measured.