Synthesis of well-defined biodegradable polymers and study of their materials properties

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Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is an important commodity polymer which is used extensively in the production of adhesives and protective films, and for biomedical applications. PVA is prepared by the alkaline hydrolysis of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), synthesized industrially by radical polymerization. Such methods offer little scope for engineering the molecular characteristics of the resultant polymers, with poor control over molecular weights and dispersity within the population. Here, we will use reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) techniques to produce well-defined PVAc/PVA materials, and study their structural and dynamic properties using a range of x-ray and neutron scattering techniques. Deuterated analogues of PVAc and PVA will also be produced via this route, allowing us to study interdiffusion within polymer films by ion and neutron scattering techniques. The influence of chain-end functionality, and the inclusion of other monomer units through (block) copolymerization, will be explored with a view to making new biodegradable materials of higher mechanical strength, improved solubility or enhanced rheological properties, thus expanding the scope of the applications of PVA-based materials.