Copolymers of glycidyl methacrylate with 3-methylthienyl methacrylate: Synthesis, characterization and reactivity ratios

Abstract

Homo-polymers of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and 3-methylthienyl methacrylate (MTM) and their copolymers in various compositions were prepared by free radical polymerization in dimethyl formaldehyde (DMF) solution at 60 degrees C using alpha, alpha'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiation The copolymers, poly(GMA-co-MTM), were characterized by H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR spectroscopic techniques. H-1 NMR analysis was used to determine the copolymer compositions. The molecular weights (M-w and M-n) and polydispersity indices of the copolymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal behavior of the copolymers was also investigated by thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Monomer reactivity ratios were determined for low conversion using Fineman Ross (FR) (r(GMA) = 0.9795; r(MTM) = 0.5641) and Kelen Tudos (KT) (r(GMA) = 0.9796; r(MTM) = 0.5771) graphical methods. In both cases, r(1)r(2) is less than 1, indicating that the copolymer deviates slightly from ideal copolymerization.