Endfunctional polyisobutylenes by quasiliving carbocationic polymerization and bi- and multicomponent macromolecular architectures therefrom

Polyisobutylene is a unique, fully saturated polymer with a variety of useful properties ranging from outstanding biocompatibility and barrier behavior to high thermal, oxidative, and chemical stability. This chapter provides a brief overview on endfunctional polyisobutylenes (PIBs) prepared by quasiliving carbocationic polymerization (QLCCP) of isobutylene and on the applications of the resulting terminally functionalized PIBs by us as macroinitiators and macromonomers to create novel macromolecular architectures not existed earlier. These include novel ABA triblock and ABCBA pentablock copolymers and polymer conetworks, such as amphiphilic and cyanoacrylate-telechelic PIB-based conetworks with various high added value application possibilities, such as ion conducting membranes, robust pH-reponsive hydrogels, nanohybrids as highly efficient nanocatalysts, elastic wound closure films, etc.