The preparation of copolymers with polydimethylsiloxane and polycaprolactam blocks by the anionic polymerization of caprolactam

Abstract

Block copolymers of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with polycaprolactam were obtained by the anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam using bifunctional PDMS activators prepared by the partial aminolysis of N, N′-isophthaloyl-bis(ε-caprolactam) with α,ω-di(3-aminopropyl)-PDMS. Copolymers containing 10–43 wt% PDMS blocks were prepared by solvent-free polymerization (150°) or in boiling toluene and were characterized by extraction, PDMS content, viscosity of dilute solutions, light scattering and sorption of water vapour at relative humidities 65 and 93%.