Miscibility of poly(chloromethyl methacrylate) with various polymethacrylates

Abstract

The miscibility behaviour of poly(chloromethyl methacrylate) (PCMMA) with various polymethacrylates was examined by differential scanning calorimetry and for lower critical solution temperature behaviour. PCMMA is miscible with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA), poly(n-propyl methacrylate) (PnPMA), poly(isopropyl methacrylate) (PiPMA) and poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate) (PTHFMA), but is immiscible with poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA). Blends of PCMMA with PMMA and PTHFMA degrade before phase separation could be induced by heating. The cloud point for other miscible blends decreases in the order PEMA > PnPMA ⋍ PiPMA . Except for PTHFMA, the trend is consistent with the general observations that the miscibility of a polymethacrylate with other polymers decreases with increasing size of the pendant group. The miscibility behaviour of PCMMA with polymethacrylates is similar to that of poly(vinyl chloride).