%0 journal article
%@ 1381-5148
%A Ceylan Tuncaboylu, D., Wischke, C., Stoermann, F., Lendlein, A.

%D 2017
%J Reactive and Functional Polymers

%P 68-73 
%R doi:10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2016.12.015
%T Microgels from microfluidic templating and photoinduced crosslinking of cinnamylidene acetic acid modified precursors
%U https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2016.12.015
 
%X So far, a number of approaches to synthesize microgel networks have been followed, while only in few cases a detailed control of the network architecture has been possible. Here, the photoinduced [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of cinnamylidene acetic acid (CAA) moieties coupled to four-arm star shaped oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) precursors was explored for the creation of microgels with defined polymer network structures. Based on a rational solvent selection and precursor dispersion in glass-capillary microfluidics, microgels could be successfully prepared by the proposed synthesis approach. Model reactions confirmed a quantitative network formation. Therefore, compared to common radical polymerization for microgel crosslinking, CAA-dimerization may be an alternative approach particularly when well defined network structures are desired.