SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HOMOPOLYMER OF 2-ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE AND ITS COPOLYMERS WITH ACRYLAMIDE, ACRYLONITRILE, AND METHYL-METHACRYLATE

A homopolymer of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) was synthesized by a free -radical solution polymerization technique. Copolymers of EHA with acr ylonitrile (AN), acrylamide (AA), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in var ious ratios were also synthesized by the same procedure. These were ch aracterized by PNMR, C-13-NMR, FTIR, GPC, and viscosity measurements. The reactivity ratios of various monomers were determined. The viscosi ty measurements were carried out in four different solvents: ethyl ace tate (EA), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene (TL), and tetrahydrofura n (THF). The studies were done at three different temperatures of 30, 35, and 40 degrees C. The activation parameters of the viscous flow we re computed for different systems. The intrinsic viscosity of the copo lymers increased with temperature in MEK and EA. This trend showed rev ersal for the other two solvents. The results are discussed in detail. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.