COMPARISON BETWEEN STRUCTURE AND SOME PROPERTIES OF METHACRYLONITRILEAND ACRYLONITRILE MACROPOROUS COPOLYMERS

The structure and properties of macroporous methacrylonitrile (MAN) co polymers are compared with those of acrylonitrile (AN) copolymers. The se copolymers are crosslinked with divinylbenzene (DVB) or trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPA). All these copolymers were obtained by susp ension polymerization from the monomer mixtures containing a good solv ent - cyclohexanol and hexadecane. The copolymers are porous and their porosity in the dry state is much higher than in the swollen one. The swelling of these copolymers causes the average pore size to decrease . The kind of crosslinking agent is the most significant factor influe ncing the porous structure of the copolymers. MAN and TMPA copolymers (MAN-T) have the smallest average pore size and the narrowest pore dis tribution. Methacrylonitrile copolymers are better sorbents than acryl onitrile copolymers. Their aminolysis by ethylenediamine is much more difficult than that of the latter, but they are both suitable for lipa se immobilization.