Characterization of some poly(methyl methacrylate)s prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization in presence of some organic ligands and their nickel complexes

The aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was studied using sodium bisulfite as initiator in absence and presence of tetraoxalyl urea (TOU), tetraoxalyl thiourea (TOthioU) and tetraoxalyl paraphenylene diamine (TOp-phD). The effect of their nickel complexes on the polymerization rate has also been studied. Ligands with free carboxyl groups have a retarding effect on the polymerization reaction, while their nickel complexes have a catalytic effect. The polymers obtained in presence of nickel complexes were found to have wider molecular weight distribution than those obtained in their absence; this was deduced by thin layer chromatographic analysis in a binary mixture (benzene/methanol). The apparent energy of activation was found to be 5.83 × 10⁴ J/mol, 1.87 × 10⁴ J/mol, 2.11 × 10⁴ J/mol, and 3.95 × 10⁴ J/mol in absence and in presence of 0.5 g of Ni complex of TOp-phD, TOthioU and TOU, respectively.     

Emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of burnt mazote boiler deposit

The emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) using different initiators was carried out in the absence and presence of burnt mazote boiler deposit (BMBD). When sodium persulfate or potassium persulfate was used, the initial rate of polymerization was found to decrease with increase of the burnt mazote boiler deposit concentration but to increase when sodium bisulfite was used as initiator. The initial rate of polymerization was found to be higher in nitrogen atmosphere than in air. The apparent activation energy (E_a) was found to be 12.4 × 10⁴ J/mol and 16.3 × 10⁴J/mol in the absence and presence of burnt mazote boiler deposit when potassium persulfate was used as initiator and 5.9 × 10⁴ J/mol and 5.1 × 10⁴ J/mol when sodium bisulfite was used as initiator, respectively. The mean average molecular weights for PMMA were found to increase with increase of the burnt mazote boiler deposit when sodium bisulfite was used as initiator.     

Characterization of some poly(methyl methacrylate) prepared by emulsion polymerization in presence of egyptian delta titano magnetite ore (EDTMO)

The emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate was studied in water using potassium persulphate as initiator and dedocyl–benzene sodium sulphonate as emulsifying agent at 85°C. The effect of Egyptian delta titano magnetite ore (EDTMO) upon the activation energy and on the mean average molecular weights of the obtained polymers was studied. It was found that the viscosity average molecular weights increase with decrease of reaction temperature and initiator concentration but increase with increase of monomer concentration in the reaction medium. Some of the polymer samples prepared in absence and in presence of some (EDTMO) were separated on tlc plates according to molecular weight in binary mixture, benzene:methanol (1:1.4 by volume) at 30°C. The tlc techniques were performed to give an idea about the molecular weight distribution of the polymer samples obtained.     

Synthesis of chitosan‐modified poly(methyl methacrylate) by emulsion polymerization

Emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of chitosan was studied and a reaction mechanism was proposed. It was proved in the companion article that potassium persulfate (KPS) free radicals can degrade chitosan chains into chain free radicals. Therefore, it is possible to produce a chitosan copolymer when the monomer and the KPS initiator are added into the chitosan solution. According to the proposed mechanism, concentrations of different species such as the initiator, total free radicals, and degraded chitosan chain were calculated with the reaction time. All the results agreed with the experimental observation. The results showed that the polymerization rate varied with 0.83‐ and 0.82‐order of the total free‐radical concentration and chitosan repeating unit concentration, respectively. It was also verified that chitosan played multiple roles in the reaction system. If the monomer was added into the chitosan solution before the addition of KPS, chitosan served mainly as a surfactant. Consequently, the polymer particle number was increased with the chitosan addition and so was the polymerization rate. However, if the monomer was added into the solution where the chitosan was already degraded by KPS, the polymerization rate was decreased with the predegradation time of chitosan. In both cases, the final polymer particles consisted of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) homopolymer and the chitosan‐PMMA copolymer. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3047–3056, 2002     

End-groups in poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene prepared by radical polymerization in the presence of derivatives of stilbene

Polymers of methyl methacrylate and styrene have been prepared in the presence of low concentrations of various para-derivatives of stilbene, using ¹³C-benzoyl peroxide as the source of the initiating radicals. Examination of the ¹³C-NMR signals due to benzoate end-groups showed that in each case a high proportion of the initiator fragments was attached to a stilbene unit. The results indicate that each of the stilbenes has very high reactivity towards the benzoyloxy radical, depending upon the nature of the substituent. Radical polymerization involving benzoyl peroxide and a stilbene provides a method for the preparation of polymers with special end-groups.     

Hyperbranched poly(methyl methacrylate)s prepared by miniemulsion polymerization and their (non)-Newtonian flow behaviors

Miniemulsion polymerization is most suitable for the targeted synthesis of vinyl copolymers than the conventional emulsion polymerization, because in miniemulsion polymerization each monomer nanodroplet is a nanoreactor, and the monomers in each droplet are in situ converted to the corresponding polymers. Soluble and hyperbranched poly(methyl methacrylate)s (PMMA) were prepared with quantitative monomer conversion and without gelation by the miniemulsion copolymerization with di- and tri-acrylate and mediated with 1-dodecyl thiol (DDT). DDT acted both as a gelation prohibitor and as a reactive cosurfactant. The PMMAs with varied “X” or “Ж” shaped branches, depending on the di- and tri-functional acrylate used as the branching agent, are characterized and interpreted in terms of the repeating units per part, parts and branches per macromolecule, average molecular weight, latex particle size and size distribution. Effects of topology changes of the branched PMMAs on the rheological behaviors are observed for the first time: from Newtonian flow for the densely branched PMMAs to the non-Newtonian flow with pronounced shear thickening for the PMMA samples with high-molecular-weight and longer parts.     

Characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate) from radiation-induced polymerization in the presence of a kaolin clay substrate

Two types of polymer are formed in the radiation-initiated polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA)–kaolin clay complexes. Homopolymer can be extracted from the complex by the use of organic solvents. Inserted polymer must be removed by dissolution of the polymer–clay complex with hydrofluoric acid. The polymers formed show no differences in structure (as determined by infrared analysis), had high molecular weights (1–5 × 10⁶), and had similar molecular weight distributions (as determined by GPC). The molecular weights of the homopolymer increased as temperature increased (25°–75°C), and dose rate decreased (24.9–7.35 rads/sec). The isotacticity of the polymers when compared to irradiated bulk polymer decreased as follows: inserted > homo > bulk. The compressive properties of the irradiated composite compared well with those of commercial bulk polymers. Degradation temperatures were 20° to 30°C higher for the composite than for the commercial chemically initiated bulk polymer.     

Morphology of latex particles formed by poly(methyl methacrylate)-seeded emulsion polymerization of styrene

Poly(methyl methacrylate)–polystyrene composite particle latexes were prepared by poly(methyl methacrylate)-seeded emulsion polymerization of styrene employing batch, swelling-batch, and semibatch methods. The changes in particle morphology taking place during the polymerization reaction were followed by electron microscopy. Anchoring effect exerted by ionic terminal groups introduced by ionic initiator was found to be the main factor in controlling the particle morphology. The polymer particles obtained by oil-soluble hydrophobic initiators such as azobisisobutyronitrile and 4,4′-azobis-(4-cyanovaleric acid) gave the inverted core-shell morphology. Water-soluble hydrophilic initiator, K₂S₂O₈, also gave the inverted core-shell morphology. However, in this case the occurrence of the halfmoonlike, the sandwichlike, and the core-shell morphologies were also observed depending upon the polymerization conditions. The distribution of terminal ? SO groups on the surface area of polystyrene particles could be controlled by initiator concentration and polymerization temperature. Viscosity of polymerization loci dictated the movement of polymer molecules, thus causing the unevenness of particle shape and phase separation at high viscosity state. Viscosity was controlled by the styrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) ratio, the addition of a chain transfer agent or a solvent which is common to polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate).     

Different composition poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate) copolymers through seeded semi-batch emulsion polymerization

In the present work the synthesis and the chemical and thermal characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate) copolymer, in three different macromolecular compositions, are reported. The aim of the present work was the identification of a standard method to obtain copolymers with controlled macromolecular composition, molecular weights and particle size distribution, together with the identification of the effect of the macromolecular composition on the material properties. A monomer-starved seeded semi-batch emulsion reaction was carried out and optimized, monitoring the kinetic of the copolymerization through the evaluation of residual monomer amounts. Then, an evaluation of the macromolecular composition was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, latex characteristics and thermal behaviour were also investigated.     

Soapfree emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of CaSO3

In the soapfree emulsion polymerization of a methyl methacrylate-K₂S₂O₈-CaSO₃-H₂O system, the polymerization rate, average molecular weight of polymer, particle size and particle concentration would vary with the concentration of CaSO₃. It was shown that when the concentration of CaSO₃ was well below the saturation concentration (3 × 10^?4mol/litre H₂O), the polymerization rate was higher than that of the system not containing CaSO₃. On the other hand, when the concentration of CaSO₃ was above the saturation concentration, the polymerization rate at the latter stage was lower than that of the system not containing CaSO₃ within our experimental conditions. The molecular weight of polymer was measured by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). It decreased initially and then increased due to the gel effect over the entire course of polymerization. The size of the polymer particles was measured by both photo correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), The reaction mechanism was studied according to the above observation. The mechanical property of poly(methyl methacrylate)-CaSO₃ composite obtained from soapfree emulsion polymerization was tested and compared with that obtained from mechanical blending.     

Impregnated concrete. I: Characterization of poly (methyl methacrylate) prepared in concrete matrices

Concrete specimens were impregnated with methyl methacrylate and after polymerization in situ, the extraction of polymer was carried out using appropriate solvents. The molecular weight and the stereochemical configuration of extracted polymer were determined by viscosity measurements and NMR spectroscopy respectively. The results obtained are discussed in relation to the increase of glass transition temperature of poly(methyl methacrylate) when the polymer is inside the concrete.     

Dipole moments of poly(allyl methacrylate) prepared by group transfer polymerization

Dipole moments of poly(allyl methacrylate) prepared by group transfer polymerization and of allyl methacrylate were determined from dielectric constant, refractive index increment and density measurements performed on their dilute benzene and carbon tetrachloride solutions within a temperature range of 25–60°C. Dipole moments ratios and temperature coefficient, d ln〈μ²〉/dT, where 〈μ²〉 is the mean-square dipole moment of the chain, were calculated. These results are compared with earlier results.     

Microheterogeneous polymer systems prepared by suspension polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of poly(ε‐caprolactone)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) – polycaprolactone (PMMA/PCL) microheterogeneous beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization starting from methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer and PCL, which was synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone using ZnCl₂ as initiator. The resulting polymer was fully characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The size distribution and morphology of the resulting beads were investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, blends of PMMA beads and PCL in different proportions were prepared and the morphology of the films was examined by optical microscopy. The low compatibility between PMMA and PCL was clearly evidenced through these experiments.     

Effect of acrylic acid and hydroxyethyl methacrylate modified nano-SiO2 particles on poly(methyl methacrylate-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) soap-free emulsion polymerization

Nano-SiO₂ powder was modified with acrylic acid (AA) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), respectively. The kinetics of the soap-free emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and HEMA in the presence of unmodified or modified nano-SiO₂ particles was investigated. The structure of the nano-SiO₂ particles and the Poly(MMA-HEMA) composite emulsion was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FT-IR). The particle size and size distribution of the emulsion, the morphology of emulsion particle, the surface tension, and ionic conductivity of these systems before and after polymerization were determined. The IR spectra showed that the organic modifiers were incorporated onto the surface of the nano-particles. In addition, the solid content and monomer conversion of the Poly(MMA-HEMA) composite emulsion with modified nano-SiO₂ are higher than that with original inorganic particles. The particle size became smaller and the particle distribution narrowed after applying the modified nano-SiO₂ particles. The SEM observation demonstrated that the shapes of these emulsion particles were uniform sphere. The surface tension and ionic conductivity increased significantly after polymerization.     

Some effects of emulsion polymerization conditions on molecular polydispersity and rheological properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)

Emulsion polymerization conditions of free-radical-polymerized poly(methyl methacrylate) have been examined in relation to the molecular weight and molecular polydispersity of the resulting polymers. In turn, molecular weight and molecular polydispersity have been related to the apparent viscosity and the appearance of the extrudate produced by an Instron capillary rheometer. The length of time for monomer addition to the polymerization medium was found to be a variable of primary concern in the emulsion polymerization. Continuous monomer addition (from 1 to 2 hr) resulted in a poly(methyl methacrylate) with a narrow distribution (～2.0) and medium molecular weight (～132 × 10³). Both molecular weight and polydispersity were found to significantly affect apparent viscosity and extrudate appearance. Differences in the rheological parameters were most marked at the lowest shear rate run in this study. The poly(methyl methacrylate) samples with medium molecular weight and more narrow molecular polydispersity exhibited the best combination of low apparent viscosity and smooth glossy appearance.     

水性聚氨酯/聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯杂化乳液的合成

用异佛尔酮二异氰酸酯(IPDI)、聚丙二醇(PPG)和二羟甲丙酸(DMPA)合成了水性聚氨酯分散体(WPU),讨论了PPG摩尔质量,NCO/OH及PPG/DMPA比例对WPU乳液和涂膜性能的影响。以WPU为种子与甲基丙烯酸甲酯进行乳液聚合制备杂化乳液,研究了不同PU/PMMA物质的量比例对杂化乳液及涂膜性能的影响,并采用TEM对WPU及杂化乳液粒子进行了表征。结果表明,在以PPG1000为原料,NCO与OH物质的量比为1.4∶1,PPG与DMPA物质的量比为1∶0.8条件下制备的WPU杂化乳液,随着PMMA比例增加,杂化乳液的稳定性和成膜性变差,聚合物膜断裂伸长率降低,但铅笔硬度、耐水性及耐乙醇性均得到了改善。     

Emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate using poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate)-graft-polyoxyethylene as the stabilizer

This study involved the use of an amphipathic graft copolymer, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate)–graft–polyoxyethylene, as a stabilizer in the emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate. The stabilizing effectiveness of this graft copolymer was studied as a function of its chemical structure. It was found that the stabilizing effectiveness of the graft copolymer was independent of the molecular weight of the backbone within the investigated range of 4 × 10³ g/mol to 2 × 10⁴ g/mol. In all cases, stable emulsion polymerizations of methyl methacrylate were observed. Effective stabilization also occurred when the graft moieties possessed a molecular weight of either 2 × 10³ g/mol or 5 × 10³ g/mol. However, the stabilizing effectiveness was found to be dependent on the amount of polyoxyethylene (POE) contained in the graft copolymer. In this case, graft copolymers possessing 67% by weight POE were poor stabilizers, but ones with 85% POE were very good stabilizers. Moreover, the graft copolymers were found to be superior stabilizers as compared to POE homopolymers.     

悬浮聚合法制取不同分子量级别的聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯

采用粉状MgCO3 作为分散剂 ,悬浮聚合制取了分子量从 2 4× 10 4 ～ 2 5 4× 10 4 的聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯。考察了温度、引发剂种类和浓度、分子量调节剂、转化率对聚合物分子量的影响规律 ,用粘度法测量了聚合物聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯 (PMMA)的分子量。结果表明 :温度的升高、引发剂浓度的增大、分子量调节剂的加入都会导致分子量的减小 ,随着转化率的提高 ,聚合物的分子量增大。在同等条件下 ,引发剂过氧化苯甲酰 (BPO)聚合所得的分子量较偶氮二异丁腈 (AIBN)高。通过实验 ,得到了满足作者需求的分子量 (96× 10 4 ～ 10 0× 10 4 )的聚合物的聚合条件为 :分散剂MgCO3 用量 1% ,单体∶水相 =1∶2 5 (质量比 ) ,引发剂BPO浓度 0 5 % ,反应温度 70℃ ,反应时间 3h。     

Morphology of poly(isoprene-co-styrene-co-methacrylic acid) latex prepared by two-stage seeded emulsion polymerization

Heterogeneous latexes were prepared by a two-stage seeded emulsion polymerization process at 80°C using potassium persulfate as the initiator and sodium dodecyl sulfate as the emulsifier. Poly(styrene-co-methacrylic acid) latexes containing varying amounts of methacrylic acid (MAA) were used as seeds. The second-stage polymer was poly(isoprene-co-styrene-co-methacrylic acid). By using different methods for the addition of the MAA and by varying the amount of MAA, the hydrophilicity of the polymer phases could be controlled. The morphologies and size distributions of the latex particles were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The latexes were in all cases unimodal, and had narrow particle size distributions. The particles displayed different morphologies depending on the polymerization conditions and monomer composition. The hydrophilic properties of the two phases in combination with the internal particle viscosity and crosslinking of the second phase during polymerization were found to be the major factors influencing the particle morphology. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 1543–1555, 1997