Synthesis of PCL-PEG-PCL Triblock Copolymer via Organocatalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization and Its Application as an Injectable Hydrogel--An Interdisciplinary Learning Trial

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Wu, Kaiting; Yu, Lin (ORCID Yu, Lin (ORCID 0000-0001-7660-3367); Ding, Jiandong (ORCID Ding, Jiandong (ORCID 0000-0001-7527-5760)
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Journal of Chemical Education. Nov 2020 97(11):4158-4165.
  • Publication Date:
    2020
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Descriptive
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      8
    • Education Level:
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      College Science; Science Experiments; Science Instruction; Undergraduate Students; Chemistry; Plastics; Hands on Science; College Seniors
    • Accession Number:
      10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00325
    • ISSN:
      0021-9584
    • Abstract:
      Biocompatible and biodegradable block copolymers composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and aliphatic polyester are a class of promising biomaterials. Herein, a teaching experiment was designed to furnish undergraduates with a reliable method to synthesize an amphiphilic poly([epsilon]-caprolactone)-PEG-poly([epsilon]-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL) triblock copolymer via ring-opening polymerization of [epsilon]-caprolactone using PEG as the macroinitiator and diphenyl phosphate as the green organocatalyst; the concentrated solution of synthetic polymer in water was then demonstrated as an injectable thermogel with a sol-gel transition upon heating. Ten students serving as volunteers successfully synthesized PCL-PEG-PCL copolymer, and then analyzed their specimens using various techniques including proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction and learned the principles of instruments. Finally, students prepared an aqueous polymer solution, and observed its interesting spontaneous physical gelation upon heating via the tube-inverting approach and dynamic rheological analysis. The experimental features captured the students' attention and made them more enthusiastic participants. This newly designed teaching experiment afforded senior undergraduates an excellent opportunity to consolidate basic concepts and principles in books with practical experimental sessions in the field of polymer chemistry, analytical chemistry, and materials science.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2020
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1276397