CROSS-LINKED MULTICOMPONENT COPOLYMERS WITH MACROMONOMER PEROXYINITIATORS (MMPI)

Macromonomer peroxy initiator, MMPI, was synthesized by the reaction o f polytetrahydro-furandiol (M-W 1000 g/mol) with isophoran diisocyanat e (IPDI), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-dihydroperoxyhexane (Luperox 2,5-2,5) and i socyanato ethyl methacrylate (IEM). Copolymerization of methyl methacr ylate, (MMA), with MMPI gave poly(THF-b-MMA) cross-linked block copoly mers. The overall polymerization rate constant, k, was calculated to b e 2.46 x 10(-4) (mol/L)(1/2) sec. The cross-linked copolymer samples s howed the peroxide decomposition at 175 degrees C and glass transition at approximately 54 degrees C. Poly(THF-b-MMA) cross-linked block cop olymers containing undecomposed peroxide groups initiated the thermal polymerization of styrene; S. Poly(THF-b-MMA-b-S) cross-linked block c opolymers with a T-g of 80 degrees C were obtained. By measuring the d egrees of swelling of the polymer networks, the mechanism of crosslink ing polymerization has been investigated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.