Free‐radical copolymerization of 3‐phthalimido‐2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate with styrene: The determination of monomer reactivity ratios and thermal analysis studies

Abstract

AbstractFree‐radical copolymerizations of styrene and phthalimido‐2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate (PHPMA) were carried out at 60 °C in a 1,4‐dioxane solution in the presence of 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile at low conversions (<15%). The copolymer compositions were established by elemental analysis. The monomer reactivity ratios r1 (PHPMA) and r2 (styrene) were determined with the linearized copolymerization equations of the Kelen–Tüdös and inverted Fineman–Ross methods and with the nonlinear relationship of the Mayo–Lewis method to be r1 = 1.41 and r2 = 0.24, r1 = 1.52 and r2 = 0.26, and r1 = 1.15 and r2 = 0.16, respectively. The monomer reactivity ratios and glass‐transition temperatures of the copolymers as functions of the copolymer composition are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 650–658, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10140