Copolymerization of Ethyl Methacrylate and Vinyl Acetate with Methacrylamide: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity Ratios

Abbas, Nabaa Nammer; Mohammed, Ameen Hadi; Ahmad, Mansor Bin

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2022.112096.5091

Copolymerization of Ethyl Methacrylate and Vinyl Acetate with Methacrylamide: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity Ratios

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ University of Baghdad, College of Science for Women, Baghdad, Iraq

² Department of Chemistry, College of Science of Women, University of Baghdad, 10071 Al Jadria, Baghdad, Iraq

³ Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

10.21608/ejchem.2022.112096.5091

Abstract

The properties of polymers can be most effectively modified with the help of the technique of copolymerisation. In this study, solution polymerization technique was used to obtain low conversion linear copolymer, in order to determine the reactivity ratios of the ethyl methacrylate EMA, vinyl acetate VAC, and methacrylamide MAM. These monomers were used in the synthesis of EMA-co-MAM and VAC-co-MAM with different compositions, initiated by benzoyl peroxide (BPO). The copolymers were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and their thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Their compositions and reactivity ratios (r1, r2) were determined by elemental analysis using linearization methods proposed by Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tudos, and intersection method proposed by Mayo-Lewis procedure. The derived (r1, r2) for EMA-co-MAM and VAC-co-MAM are: (0.197, 0.230) and (0.294, 4.314), respectively. The microstructure of copolymers and sequence distribution of monomers in the copolymers were calculated by statistical method, the derived results are in agreement with (r1, r2) values. EMA with MAM form alternative copolymer whilst VAC-co-MAM tends to be block with MAM. No study has been reported on the copolymerization and reactivity relationships of hydrophobic monomers (EMA, VAC) with hydrophilic monomers (MAM).

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