Carbon black dispersion using polymeric dispersants prepared via raft polymerisation

The aim of this thesis is the investigation of the use of a RAFT agent developed by the company Lubrizol, BMDPT (Butyl-2-methyl-2-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl) sulfanyl] propionate) produced in tonnes scale to make amphiphilic block copolymers in ester solvent (butyl acetate and methoxypropyl acetate). For this purpose, a broad range of monomers including acrylate, methacrylate and styrenic containing tertiary amine were polymerised and used as pigment dispersants. As the starting point, the reactivity of n-butyl acrylate (n-BA) and di(methyl)aminopropyl acrylate (DMAEA) monomer followed by the synthesis of acrylate diblock copolymers in acetate solvents (butyl acetate and methoxypropyl acetate) are investigated. The second chapter is focused on the methacrylate polymerisation which is a large body of work of this thesis. The poor reactivity of the trithiocarbonate RAFT agent towards methacrylate monomer was already published few times. Consequently, the kinetic studies of butyl methacrylate (BMA) and di(methyl)amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was investigated in batch mode. Subsequently, a new synthetic route is explored to reach a well-controlled diblock copolymers. In the third chapter, a novel class of amphiphilic diblock copolymer containing acrylate and a mixture of styrene and maleic anhydride is explored. Then, the functionalisation of polymer backbone is carried out by using an amine in order to insert an anchoring group for pigment affinity. Finally, the efficiency of all the diblock copolymers on carbon black pigment dispersion is reported. A combination of different techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) are used to investigate the interaction between the polymer and the pigmen