ANIONIC SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLY(4-VINYLPYRIDINE)-POLY(DIMETHYLSILOXANE) BLOCK COPOLYMERS

Poly(4-vinylpyridine)-b-Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (P4VP-b-PDMS) copolymer s have been synthesized by sequential anionic polymerization of 4VP an d hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane at - 70-degrees-C. The initiator was sodi um naphthenate. The solvent used during reactions has a very critical role in an homogeneous polymerization medium. A 1:1 pyridine/THF mixtu re was found to be the most suitable. The products were characterized by H-1-NMR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and di fferential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. All the results indi cated the formation of 4-vinylpyridine-siloxane block copolymers. Also , the P4VP blocks can be completely quaternized with methyl iodide as indicated by H-1-NMR and FTIR spectroscopies.