Recyclable Nano Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI)-Catalyst-Mediated Sustainable Photopolymerization of Glycidyl Methacrylate in Ionic Liquid and Functional Copolymers Thereof

Utilization of reusable catalysts and reaction media has recently been an area of interest to devise a sustainable approach. Interestingly, photoinduced reversible deactivation radical polymerization (photoRDRP) of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is achieved with reusable and magnetically separable nano zero-valent Iron (nZVI). This resulted in well-defined poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) (upto 22700 g mol^-1) with a low dispersity (Đ ≤ 1.20). Using an ionic liquid and a straightforward low-cost technique, three different copolymers: poly(glycidyl methacrylate-random-dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) poly(GMA-r-DMAEMA), poly(glycidyl methacrylate-random-methyl methacrylate) poly(GMA-r-MMA) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate-random-styrene) poly(GMA-r-St) are produced, all without the need for traditional photoinitiators. The response of the poly(GMA-r-DMAEMA) to pH variations is evaluated.