Synthesis of high glass transition temperature copolymers based on poly(vinyl chloride) via single electron transfer—Degenerative chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET‐DTLRP) of vinyl chloride in water

Abstract

Abstractα,ω‐di(iodo) poly(isobornyl acrylate) macroiniators (α,ω‐di(iodo)PIA) with number average molecular weight from Mn,TriSEC = 11,456 to Mn,TriSEC = 94,361 were synthesized by single electron transfer‐degenerative chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET‐DTLRP) of isobornyl acrylate (IA) initiated with iodoform (CHI3) and catalyzed by sodium dithionite (Na2S2O4) in water at 35 °C. The plots of number average molecular weight vs conversion and ln{[M]0/[M]} vs time are linear, indicating a controlled polymerization. α,ω‐di(iodo) poly(isobornyl acrylate) have been used as a macroinitiator for the SET‐DTLRP of vinyl chloride (VCM) leading to high Tg block copolymers PVC‐b‐PIA‐b‐PVC. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of the block copolymers suggests just one phase indicating that copolymer behaves as a single material. This technology provides the possibility of synthesizing materials based on PVC with higher Tg in aqueous medium. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009