In this study, a dendrimer-like polymer based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was synthesized through a combination of anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) and click reaction via arm-first method. Firstly, the polymeric arm, a linear PEO with one alkynyl group and two bromo groups, was synthesized by AROP of ethylene oxide followed by functionalization with propargyl bromide and esterified with 2-bromopropionic bromide. Second, a star PEO carrying three azide groups was synthesized though AROP of ethylene oxide used 1,1,1-tris(hydrosymethyl) ethane as initiator followed esterificated with 2-bromopropionic acid and azidation. By azide–alkyne click reactions between the azide-terminated PEO star polymer and linear PEO with functionalization alkynyl group, a three generation dendrimer-like PEO, G3-PEO-24Br, was successfully synthesized. The resulting polymers were observed to have precisely controlled molecular weights and compositions with narrow molecular weight distributions.

The composites of chlorinated polyethylene rubber (CM) filled with boron nitride (BN) were prepared and examined systematically. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe microscopic morphology of composites. Mechanical properties of composites were analyzed by a rubber process analyzer (RPA) and dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA). Thermal conductivity as well as thermo stability of composites was improved by adding BN particles into the CM rubber. It was found that BN particles can reinforce the rubber matrix while they also break down the network of polymer chains and ruin the physical properties of the rubber matrix. During the dynamic compressing process, BN particles can transfer heat from the matrix and alleviate the heat build-up phenomenon. The BN/CM composites (volume content CBN=18%) with thermal conductivity 1.179 W/(m·K) and good flexibility (Elongation at break=320%) were prepared, which may be used as thermal interface materials in a dynamic compressing process.

Based on Monte Carlo simulation technology, we proposed a hybrid routine which combines reaction mechanism together with coarse-grained molecular simulation to study the kinetics of free radical polymerization. By comparing with previous experimental and simulation studies, we showed the capability of our Monte Carlo scheme on representing polymerization kinetics in batch and semi-batch processes. Various kinetics information, such as instant monomer conversion, molecular weight, and polydispersity etc. are readily calculated from Monte Carlo simulation. The kinetic constants such as polymerization rate kp is determined in the simulation without of “steady-state” hypothesis. We explored the mechanism for the variation of polymerization kinetics those observed in previous studies, as well as polymerization-induced phase separation. Our Monte Carlo simulation scheme is versatile on studying polymerization kinetics in batch and semi-batch processes.