Copolymerization of 4-Acetylphenyl Methacrylate with Ethyl Methacrylate: Synthesis, Characterization, Monomer Reactivity Ratios, and Thermal Properties

Abstract EN

Methacrylates have high glass transition temperature ( T g ) values and high thermal stability.

A new methacrylate copolymer, poly(4-acetylphenyl methacrylate-co-ethyl methacrylate) (APMA-co-EMA), was synthesized.

The thermal behaviors of copolymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.

They behaved as new single polymers with single T g ’s and the thermal stability of the copolymers increased with increasing 4-acetylphenyl methacrylate (APMA) fraction, leading to the manufacture of copolymers with desired T g values.

Structure and composition of copolymers for a wide range of monomer feed ratios were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopic techniques.

Copolymerization reactions were continued up to 40% conversions.

The monomer reactivity ratios for copolymer system were determined by the Kelen-Tüdös ( r a ( APMA ) = 0.81 ; r b ( EMA ) = 0.61 ) and extended Kelen-Tüdös ( r a = 0.77 ; r b = 0.54 ) methods and a nonlinear least squares ( r a = 0.74 ; r b = 0.49 ) method.