A reactive copolymer based on Glycidylmethacrylate and Maleic Anhydride: 1-synthesis, characterization and monomer reactivity ratios

Copolymers of Glycidylmethacrylate (GMA) and Maleic anhydride (MAn) in different molar ratios were synthesized by free radical copolymerization in tetrahydrofurane (THF) at 80 degrees C using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The copolymers were characterized by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, FT-IR spectroscopic techniques, GPC, CHN, TGA analyses. The (HNMR)-H-1 was used for the calculation of monomer composition in the copolymer. The crosslinking behavior of the copolymers was shown by DSC analysis. The amorphous structure was indicated by XRD, SEM and DSC analyses. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by linear methods. The best r(G)-r(M) pair of values was selected by using Akaike Information Criterion. In all the cases, r(G) x r(M) < 1 and r(G) > r(M) indicate that the resulting copolymer has a tendency toward alternation with an azeotropic point. Structural parameters were obtained by calculating the dyad monomer sequence fractions, mean sequence length and run number (R-N = 68.34, f = 0.61, one GMA units triads).