Polymer networks prepared via the crosslinking free-radical polymerization of dimethacrylate in the presence of branched polymethacrylate and its fractions

The crosslinking free-radical polymerization of 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate in bulk in the presence of 0–40 wt % of the MMA-based branched copolymer containing more than 20 mol % divinyl comonomer, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, is studied. It is shown that the formation of polymer networks and their structural-physical characteristics may be controlled by varying the concentration of the branched copolymer and its composition. The structural-physical characteristics of the polymers containing small amounts of the branched copolymer or narrow fractions of it are estimated from the data of sol-gel analysis and the mechanical properties of the polymers. The IR spectra of the sol and gel fractions of polydimethacry-lates containing PMMA-d₈ additives demonstrate that macromolecules of the branched copolymer are incorporated into polymer networks via reactive pendant C=C bonds.