Head-to-head vinyl polymers. VII. Hydrolysis of head-to-head poly(methyl acrylate)

Head-to-head (H–H) and head-to-tail (H–T) poly(methyl acrylate)s (PMAs) were hydrolyzed in a mixture of acetone and water (4:1 by volume) at 30°C by using various alkali hydroxides as catalysts. For comparison, the H–T copolymer with 26% H–H units, dimethyl succinate (DMS), dimethyl glutarate (DMG), and dimethyl adipate (DMA) as model compounds were also hydrolyzed. It was found that the hydrolyses of all PMAs proceeded autocatalytically; i.e., the rates increased as a function of the reaction time. Both the initial rate constant k₀ and the autoaccelerating effect observed markedly depended on the structures of polymer chains and they decreased with increasing of the H–H sequences. The molecular weights of either H—H or H—T PMA did not show remarkable changes in either k₀ value or accelerating effect. The k₀ values were almost independent of the kinds of bases and were calculated to be 0.06 and 0.18 L mol^?1 min^?1 for H–H and H–T PMA, respectively. On the other hand, the autoaccelerating effect decreased in the order NaOH ? KOH > LiOH > CsOH for H–H PMA and NaOH > LiOH > KOH > CsOH for H–T polymer. When the ratio of acetone to water increased, the k₀ value was found to decrease, whereas the accelerating effect increased. The results obtained are described and discussed.     

Head-to-head vinyl polymers. III. Preparation and characterization of head-to-head poly(acrylic acid) and its esters

Head-to-head (h-h) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and some h-h poly(alkyl acrylates) (PRA) with methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl and 2-ethylhexyl substituents were prepared by hydrolysis or esterifications of the alternating copolymer of ethylene with maleic anhydride. In general, these esterification reactions became increasingly difficult as the carbon chain in the alcohols lengthened or branched. The softening, glass transition, and degradation temperatures of the h-h polymers obtained were somewhat higher than those of the corresponding head-to-tail (h-t) polymers. The main degradation products of both h-h and h-t PRA were identified by pyrolytic gas chromatography as the alcohol and monomer. In addition, the relative ratios of the amounts of alcohol to monomer were larger for h-h than for the corresponding h-t polymers.     

Head-to-head vinyl polymers. VI. Preparation and characterization of head-to-head poly(allyl alcohol) and its esters

Head-to-head (H–H) poly(allyl alcohol) (PAA) was prepared by the LiAlH₄ reduction of H–H poly(methyl acrylate) obtained from the methylation of alternating copolymer of ethylene with maleic anhydride. H–H poly(allyl acetate) (PAAc) and H–H poly(allyl benzoate) (PABz) were further derived by means of its acylations. All of these three H–H polymers were characterized by IR, NMR, TGA, and PGC measurements. The corresponding head-to-tail (H–T) polymers were also prepared by a similar method from the conventional H–T polymer of methyl acrylate, and characterized to allow comparison with the H–H polymers. The softening temperatures of all H–H polymers were somewhat higher than those of the respective H–T polymers, probably suggesting that the H–H placements increased the stiffness of the polymers. Unlike poly(acrylic esters) reported previously, these H–H allyl polymers were found to degrade at temperatures slightly lower than the H–T polymers. On pyrolysis at 430°C, both PAAc and PABz were also observed to release predominantly acetic acid and benzoic acid, respectively, and small quantities of the corresponding allyl ester monomers. The molar ratios of acid to ester were substantially larger for H–H polymers.     

Head-to-head vinyl polymers. IV. Preparation and characterization of equimolar head-to-head copolymers of acrylic acid and its esters

The alternating copolymer of ethylene with maleic anhydride was esterified with a number of aliphatic alcohols to yield its monoesters, which correspond structurally to equimolar (1:1) head-to-head (h-h) copolymers of acrylic acid with alkyl acrylates. In addition, they were methylated with diazomethane to 1:1 h-h copolymers of methyl acrylate with alkyl acrylates. For comparison the 1:1 head-to-tail (h-t) copolymers of methyl acrylate with alkyl acrylates were prepared by radical copolymerizations. Some chemical, physical, and thermal properties of these 1:1 h-h and h-t copolymers were evaluated and compared. The softening and glass transition temperatures of the 1:1 h-h copolymers were somewhat higher than those of the corresponding 1:1 h-t copolymers, which indicated that the h-h replacements made the polymer chain stiffer and less flexible. The 1:1 h-h copolymers were also observed to degrade thermally at somewhat higher temperatures and with higher rates than the 1:1 h-t copolymers. The ratio of alcohol to monomer found in the pyrolysis products was higher for the 1:1 h-h than for its respective 1:1 h-t copolymer.     

Head-to-head vinyl polymers. V. Preparation and characterization of alternating head-to-head copolymers of alkyl acrylates with alkyl methacrylates

Alternating head-to-head (h-h) copolymers of methyl or n-butyl acrylates with the corresponding methacrylates were synthesized by alternating copolymerization of ethylene with citraconic anhydride, followed by esterification and Characterization. The respective equimolar (1:) head-to-tail (h-t) copolymers were also prepared by conventional radical copolymerization as comparison. The alternating, relatively low molecular weight h-h copolymers obtained showed softening, glass transition, and degradation temperatures somewhat higher than those displayed by the 1:1 h-t copolymers. After pyrolysis the main decomposition products from both h-h and h-t copolymers were alcohols, acrylates, and methacrylates. Furthermore, the ratios of alcohols to acrylates were larger for the h-h than for the h-t copolymers and smaller for the methyl than for the n-butyl esters.     

Preparation and characterization of carboxylic-containing poly(methyl methacrylate) nanolatexes

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based latex particles bearing carboxylic groups at the surface were prepared via emulsion polymerization. The polymerization recipe and process were optimized in order to target monodisperse particles with diameters around 100 nm. The polymerizations were performed using 4,4-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic) acid (ACPA) as initiator and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as surfactant. The polymerization conversion was determined by both gas chromatography and gravimetry. The final latexes were characterized with respect to particle size, size distribution, surface charge density, electrokinetic properties (i.e. electrophoretic mobility vs pH and ionic strength) and colloidal stability (i.e. coagulation rate constants vs pH and stability factor vs ionic strength).     

Dynamics of adsorbed poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) on silica

Deuterium NMR and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) were used to probe the behavior of ultrathin adsorbed poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA). The spectra for the bulk methyl-labeled PMA-d₃ were consistent with the motions of the polymer segments being spatially homogeneous. For the polymers adsorbed on silica, multicomponent line shapes were observed. The segmental mobility of the surface polymers increased with increased adsorbed amounts. In contrast to the behavior of the polymers in bulk, the adsorbed lower-molecular-mass PMA-d₃ was less mobile than the adsorbed high-molecular-mass polymer. The presence of a polymer overlayer was sufficient to suppress the enhanced mobility of the more-mobile segments of the adsorbed (inner) polymer. MDSC studies on adsorbed poly(methyl methacrylate) showed that the glass-transition temperature of the thin polymer films increased and broadened compared to the behavior of the polymer in bulk. The presence of a motional gradient with the less-mobile segments near the solid-polymer interface and the more-mobile segments near the polymer-air interface was consistent with the experimental observations.     

Thermal degradation of bromine-containing polymers. Part 3—Blends of poly(2-bromoethyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl acrylate)

Films of a blend of equal weights of poly(2-bromoethyl methacrylate) (P2BEM) and poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) were prepared by evaporation of a solution in acetone. The principal characteristics and products of the thermal degradation of the blend were established by the application of thermal analysis and infra-red and mass spectrometric techniques. Similarities to the degradation behaviour of copolymers of 2-bromoethyl methacrylate (2BEM) and methyl acrylate (MA) were noted.     

Synthesis and characterization of nano-sized poly[(butyl acrylate)-co-(methyl methacrylate)-co-(methacrylic acid)] latex via differential microemulsion polymerization

Poly[(butyl acrylate)-co-(methyl methacrylate)-co-(methacrylic acid)] latex particles were synthesized via differential microemulsion polymerization. The effect of initiator type and methacrylic acid incorporation were investigated. The initiator type could significantly affect the particle size and the molecular weight of the resulting polymer and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile produced the smallest particle size. The incorporation of methyl methacrylate (MAA) in the copolymer and terpolymer structures was confirmed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, and DSC in that the carbonyl peak of carboxylic acid at 1,700 cm^?1 in the FTIR spectrum was observed when the MAA amount was high enough, the peak areas at 0.9 ppm in the NMR spectrum confirmed the participation of MAA from the increasing proton signals and the glass transition temperature and polarity of the polymer increased when the MAA amount was increased. This supported that the MAA was incorporated into the polymer chains. MAA was found to produce a vitrification effect during the polymerization.     

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl bromide), vinyl bromide-methyl methacrylate copolymers,and poly(vinyl bromide)-poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Degradation behavior has been compared for PVB, five VB-MMA copolymers which span the composition range, PMMA, and PVC by using thermogravimetry in dynamic nitrogen and thermal volatilization analysis (TVA) under vacuum for programmed heating at 10°C/min. Volatile products have been separated by subambient TVA and identified. PVB is substantially less stable than PVC but shows inmost respects analogous degradation behavior. The introduction of VB into the PMMA chain leads to intramolecular lactonization with release of methyl bromide at temperatures a little above 100°C; after this reaction is complete, however, the polymer is more stable toward volatilization than PMMA. Copolymers with moderate and high VB contents also lose hydrogen bromide. Carbon dioxide is a significant product at intermediate compositions. The variation of product distribution with copolymer composition is discussed in relation to the several reactions involved and comparisons are made with VC-MMA copolymers. PVB-PMMA blends snow some features of degradation behavior in common with the PVC-PMMA system but also very important differences. The effect of PVB is only to stabilize the PMMA; the mechanism is discussed. The role of PVB as an additive and VB as a comonomer for fire-retardant PMMA compositions is briefly considered in relation to earlier studies.     

Compatibility of binary systems of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(vinyl acetate)

The influence of the thermal treatment on the stability in time of the dispersion degree of films containing binary polymer mixtures, poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl acetate)/poly(methyl methacrylate), was studied by thermogravimetry and optical microscopy with phase contrast. The dispersion degree depends particularly on the composition of the polymer mixture and can be improved by thermal treatment at temperatures above the glass temperatures of both homopolymers. It seems that this thermal treatment yields exclusively metastable structures with a general tendency to phase separation in a short time after thermal treatment, the heterogeneity mixtures (as film) being more pronounced.     

The synthesis and characterization of monodisperse poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid)

A number of polyacrylic (PAA) and polymethacrylic (PMAA) acids have been synthesized by living anionic polymerization of the monomeric tert-butyl esters followed by subsequent hydrolysis of the corresponding polyesters. The necessary precautions were taken in order to assure good molecular weight control, as well as high yields in the polymerization reactions. The intermediate and final polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography and NMR-H¹ spectrometry.     

Thermoresponsive copolymers of methacrylic acid and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate

Copolymers of methacrylic acid (MAA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) were prepared and their cloud points in aqueous solution were studied as a function of comonomer ratio, solution pH, and presence of hydrophobic comonomers. Under acidic conditions, the cloud point falls below 0 °C for copolymers with between 25% to 60% ether content, because of the formation of hydrophobic H‐bonded ether–acid complexes. The cloud point also decreases with solution pH. For equivalent ether to acid ratios, the cloud point decreases with decreasing PEG chain length, because of the presence of a larger number of hydrophobic methyl and methacrylate groups. Similarly, the cloud point decreases upon incorporation of hydrophobic comonomers such as butyl, lauryl, or glycidyl methacrylates. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6095–6104, 2005     

Hole transport in polymers of (N-ethylcarbazol-3-yl) methyl acrylate and methacrylate

(N-Ethylcarbazol-3-yl)methyl acrylate and methacrylate were polymerized anionically and radically. Anionically-polymerized polyacrylate using ethylmagnesium chloride-benzalacetophenone as catalyst is an isotactic rich polymer with 85% isotactic dyad. All polymers except anionically polymerized polymethacrylate showed good film forming property. Hole drift mobilities measured by the time-of-flight method at room temperature and at 5 × 10⁵ V/cm are in the following order: isotactic polyacrylate (1.0 × 10^-5 cm²/V s) > atactic polyacrylate (1.8 × 10^-6 cm²/V s) > atactic polymethacrylate (1.2 × 10^-6 cm²/V s) at 5 × 10⁵ V/cm. These results are discussed in terms of the hopping model between localized sites.     

Self-stratified films obtained from poly(methyl methacrylate/n-butyl acrylate) colloidal dispersions containing poly(vinyl alcohol): a spectroscopic study

These studies focus on the role of poly(vinyl alcohol) (pVOH) during colloidal synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate/n-butyl acrylate) (pMMA/nBA) and its effect on particle coalescence. Using 2D photoacoustic FT-IR spectroscopy and internal reflection IR imaging, we showed that the presence of pVOH creates competing environments between the copolymer particle surfaces, aqueous phases, and dispersing agents which results in migration and self-induced stratification occurring during coalescence. pMMA/nBA/pVOH films stratify to form sodium dodecyl sulfate rich film-air interfaces, and the -SO3- moieties exhibit preferential parallel orientation with respect to the surface. At the same time, the bulk of the film is dominated by intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the pVOH phase and the copolymer matrix. This behavior is attributed to significant interactions between pVOH and pMMA/nBA, resulting in limited mobility of pVOH.     

Characterisation of macroporous poly(methyl methacrylate) coated with plasma-polymerised poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate)

Macroporous poly(methyl methacrylate) networks with varying cross-linking density and porosity were coated with plasma-polymerised poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) grafted on the pores surface. The result is a mechanically reinforced hydrogel (PMMA-gr-plPHEA) whose properties are characterised in this work using several experimental techniques. Bulk PMMA and bulk PHEA were also characterised as reference materials. The diffusion and water sorption properties of these hydrogels were studied through equilibrium water sorption isotherms and desorption starting with the sample equilibrated in immersion in liquid water or in a vapour atmosphere. Glass transition, dynamic-mechanical relaxation and thermal degradation were characterised in order to study the interphase interaction in these biphasic systems. All these experimental techniques suggested that plasma-polymerised PHEA is more homogeneously interpenetrated with highly cross-linked macroporous PMMA than if the porous substrate is a loosely cross-linked polymer network.     

Preparation of gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol) film modified by methyl methacrylate and gamma irradiation

The properties of gelatin–polyvinyl alcohol (G–PVA) blend films were improved by methyl methacrylate (MMA) and γ irradiation for a practical viewpoint. The films were prepared by the casting method, modified by glycerol and MMA monomer, and their mechanical properties were also studied. The gelatin-based films were successfully prepared using γ irradiation (3.1 kGy) and gelatin: PVA = 97:3 (w/w) as optimized. Tensile properties of the films were studied and thermal properties of the films were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis pointed out that MMA treated both gelatin films, and G–PVA blend films showed less thermal degradation than untreated films. In addition, structural and morphological features of the gelatin-based films were examined by Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The ultimate results of the present study showed remarkable enhancement in tensile properties (> 40%) and a reduction in elongation at break of the films, thanks to the MMA addition and γ irradiation.