GRAFTING REACTIONS ONTO POLYMER BACKBONE WITH POLYMERIC INITIATOR

Polymer-polymer free radical coupling reactions are reported.Active vi nyl polymers having peroxide groups can be obtained by using oligo per oxide or/and azo initiators in the vinyl polymerization. By heating th e mixture of polybutadiene, PBd, and active vinyl polymers (polystyren e, PS, and polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA) having peroxide groups, or ma cro azo initiators based on poly(ethylene glycol), PEG; PS-g-PBd, PMMA -g-PBd, and PEG-g-PBd graft copolymers were obtained. A natural, biode gradable polyester, poly(beta-hydroxy nonanoate), PHN, was also reacte d with active polymers to obtaine PS-g-PHN and PMMA-g-PHN graft copoly mers. Characterization of graft copolymers and very recent surface gra fting reactions have been discussed.