Copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with bis(4-methacryloylmethylphenyl) sulfide

Abstract

Bis(4-methacryloylmethylphenyl)-sulflde (BMMPhS) containing sulfur and unsaturated carbon bonds in its structure was used in obtaining copolymers with methyl methacrylate. Copolymerization of the BMMPhS with fixed concentration of methyl methacrylate was carried out in presence of three curing systems: I BP+DMA II L+DMA+Co III (BP+L)+DMA+Co Where: BP-benzoyl peroxide DMA-N,N-dimethylaniline Co-cobalt naphthenate L-methylethyl ketone peroxide. In individual experiments the quantitative composition of curing systems was changed and its influence on the gelation time of the copolymers was determined. Besides, the effect of the BMMPhS concentration on the copolymer gelation time was determined. In that case curing system I with stable concentration of its components was used. For five copolymers the peak exotherm temperatures were determined. These copolymers were formed from 40% solution of BMMPhS using various compositions of curing system I. Separately, three films were made by polymerization of 60, 40 and 20% solutions of BMMPhS with curing system I, one by polymerization of 40% solution with curing system II, and another one by polymerization of 40% solution with curing system II. The obtained films were tested for mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness of Shore's and Brinnell's methods as well as their thermal properties and glass transition temperatures.