STRUCTURE-PROPERTY RELATIONSHIP OF COPOLYMERS OF METHACRYLIC-ACID ESTERS .1. THERMAL-BEHAVIOR

This article describes the synthesis and thermal characterization of c opolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and alkyl methacrylates. The co polymerization was carried out using different mol fractions (0.05-0.2 5) of alkyl methacrylates, i.e., octyl methacrylate (OMA)/decyl methac rylate (DMA)/lauryl methacrylate (LMA)/stearyl methacrylate (SMA), in the initial feed at 80-degrees-C. The copolymer composition was determ ined from H-1-NMR. The thermal stability of the copolymers was investi gated by thermogravimetric analysis and pyrolysis gas chromatography. A two/three-step degradation was observed in the copolymer samples. Th e monomers were the major product of degradation in most of the copoly mers except in SMA/MMA copolymers where the product of side-group elim ination was also observed. An attempt was also made to determine the y ield of the monomers during degradation and then to evaluate the copol ymer composition. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.