A New Method to Purify Highly Phosphonated Block Copolymers and Their Effect on Calcium Carbonate Mineralization

Summary:Highly phosphonated double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) were synthesized through chain transfer radical polymerization or polymerization from a macro‐initiator. The DHBCs can be purified by a reprecipitation technique, in which any of the side products or precursors without phosphonate groups can be removed completely. This method provides a new route to purify other functional macromolecules with carboxylic, sulfonate groups etc. apart from dialysis and ultrafiltration. In addition, crystallization results show that the phosphonate groups have a strong influence on calcium carbonate mineralization. They can control the morphology of calcium carbonate from smooth spherical structures to porous structures even at a rather low concentration due to the strong effect of the phosphonate groups on crystallization of the mineral.