Networks and conetworks of PIB‐based cyanoacrylate‐telechelic prepolymers: Synthesis, characterization, and properties

Novel networks and conetworks were prepared by the instantaneous polymerization of cyanoacrylate-telechelic three-arm star polyisobutylene [O(PIB-CA)3] and the copolymerization of O(PIB-CA)3/2,4,4-trimethylpentane cyanoacrylate (TMP-CA) mixtures, respectively, by means of strong nucleophiles, such as NEt2-telechleic linear or three-arm star PIBs [O(PIB-NEt2)2 or 3]. The reactants were combined in the bulk in double-barrel syringes by reaction injection molding (RIM). The chemical and mechanical properties of products prepared in the bulk and by conventional solution techniques were characterized by various techniques (swelling, extractables, FTIR and NMR spectroscopies, Instron, microhardness, oxidative resistance, DSC, DMTA). Conditions for the preparation of rubbery materials for possible biomedical applications were developed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2612–2623, 2008