Synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic graft copolymers of poly(1,3 dioxolane) macromonomers with styrene and methyl methacrylate

Methacrylate-terminated Poly(1,3 dioxolane) (PDXL) macromonomers were synthesized by cationic ring-opening polymerization in the presence of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (2-HPMA) as transfer agent. Molecular weights, polydispersity index and functionality of the PDXL macromonomers were evaluated by size exclusion chromatography ( SEC) and H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-NMR). Copolymerizations of PDXL macromonomers, of different molecular weights, with styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were carried out using various feed molar ratios. The resulting polymers confirmed the grafting of PDXL with PS and PMMA by SEC and H-1-NMR Monomer reactivity ratios between the macromonomers and the comonomers were estimated from the copolymerization results. Macromonomer reactivity depends on the comonomer considered. Glass transition temperatures of the copolymers were found to decrease with an increase in the amount of PDXL in the copolymers. The values of T-g depend on the composition and the size of the PDXL grafts.