POLYMERS FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES .18. THERMAL-PROPERTIES OF THE INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS DERIVED FORM CASTOR-OIL BASED POLYURETHANE-4-ACETYL PHENYL ACRYLATE

4-Acetyl-phenyl acrylate was prepared by reacting 8-hydroxy acetopheno ne with acryloyl chloride, It was then polymerized using benzoyl perox ide (BPO) as initiator to give the homopolymer. Both the vinylmonomer and its homopolymer were characterized by FTIR spectra. The polyuretha ne obtained from castor oil and TDI (Toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate) with v arying NCO/OH ratio was reacted with the new monomer 4-acetyl phenyl a crylate to give a large number of interpenetrating polymer networks (I PNs) using divinyl benzene as cross-linker and BPO as initiator. The t hermogravimetric studies of the IPNs have been carried out and the kin etic parameters have been evaluated.