A study of the copolymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate

The free radical copolymerizations of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and tetrahy drofurfuryl methacrylate have been investigated at 50 degrees C. The compos itions of polymers prepared at low conversions have been determined using C -13-NMR, and the glass transition temperatures determined by DSC. The copol ymerizations were found to be best described by a terminal model with react ivity ratios of r(H) = 1.79 and r(T) = 0.76. The triad fraction sequence di stributions have been calculated based on the terminal model and the calcul ated reactivity ratios. The glass transitions have been fitted to the Gordo n-Taylor equation. The best value of the Gordon-Taylor constant was found t o be k(H) = 1.42 +/- 0.2, indicating nonideal mixing of the two monomer com ponents in the copolymers. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.