Structural modification of expandable polystyrene. I. Copolymerization with α‐methylstyrene

Conventional expandable polystyrene (EPS) was modified by the preparation of copolymers containing 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0% α‐methylstyrene. Increasing the glass‐transition temperature of EPS was the aim of this work. Copolymeric expandable polystyrene (CEPS) samples were characterized with various techniques. ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy was used for the determination of the composition, and gel permeation chromatography was used for the determination of the molecular weights and molecular weight distributions. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the glass‐transition temperatures of the CEPS samples increased with increasing α‐methylstyrene contents. The prevention of the collapse of the EPS cells was observed in scanning electron microscopy images of the inner portions and outer surfaces of the CEPS samples. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 609–614, 2003