EFFECT OF REACTION PARAMETERS ON THE POLYMERIZATION OF METHYL-METHACRYLATE WITH NICKEL ACETYLACETONATE METHYLALUMINOXANE

Polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) employing nickel acetylac etonate [Ni(acac)(2)] as catalyst combined with methylaluminoxane (MAO ) as cocatalyst were investigated. The main purpose of this work is co ncerned with the study of reaction parameters MMA polymerization. Temp erature of polymerization, Al/Ni mole ratio, type of solvent, catalyst concentration and time dependence were examined. The influence of Lew is bases on the polymerization was also studied. The binary system Ni( acac)(2)/MAO was the only one able to polymerize MMA at the conditions employed in this work. The cocatalytic activity of MAO was compared t o those of common alkylaluminium compounds. The polymers were characte rized by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) and C-13-NMR techniques.