Radical copolymerization of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate with cyano compounds for dielectric materials: Synthesis and characterization

The copolymerization of cyano (nitrile) monomers and a fluoroalkylmethacrylate is used to develop new dielectric polymers containing C-CN and C-F substituents. Methacrylonitrile (MAN), acrylonitrile (AN) and methylvinylidene cyanide (MVCN) were chosen as cyano monomers. 2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl methacrylate (MATRIF) was used as a fluorinated comonomer. The copolymers based on cyano monomers such as AN, MAN or MVCN, and MATRIF comonomers were synthesized by radical process initiated by AIBN. The yields of the copolymerizations were ranging between 40 and 60%. These copolymers were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F NMR and IR spectroscopy which showed that the percentages of incorporation of AN and MAN in the copolymers were 45%. However, only 5% of MVCN was incorporated into poly(MVCN-co-MATRIF) copolymer. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that the thermal decomposition occurred from 200, 230 or 240 °C for copolymers of MVCN, MAN or AN, respectively, and indicated that the process of degradation depends on the nature of cyano monomer.