Thermoreversible poly(trimethylene carbonate)-based block copolymers containing reactive furfuryl groups via sequential ROP and ATRP

Block copolymers containing poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) middle block and poly(furfuryl methacrylate) PFMA end blocks were synthesized through sequential organocatalytic ring opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate and thermal and photoinitiated metal-free atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRP) of furfuryl methacrylate. The thermal and mechanical properties of the triblock copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). The crosslinking via Diels-Alder (DA) reaction between the furan groups of the block copolymers and bismaleimide and bisitaconimide was proved by FTIR and DSC and the thermoreversibility properties of the crosslinked polymer were subsequently investigated using DSC and solubility testing.