Reactive & Functional Polymers, Vol.49, No.1, 55-65, 2001
Styrene-co-acrylonitrile and poly(arsenicacrylate) based interpenetrating polymer network: synthesis and characterization
A series of IPN based on copolymer of styrene and acrylonitrile (r(1) = 0.17, r(2) = 0.08) and poly(arsenicacrylate) using benzoyl peroxide as initiator, in dimethyl formamide and divinylbenzene, as crosslinking agent has been synthesized. The values of coefficient of interaction (k(AB)) between the two polymers in different solvents such as DMSO, DMF, dioxane reflect contraction of the polymer coils in the order DMSO > DMF > dioxane. The scanning electron microscopy reveals a dual phase morphology of copolymer and metal acrylate. The properties like percentage swelling, average molecular weight between crosslinks (M-c), increases with concentration of copolymer and benzoyl peroxide. However, it decreases with concentration of arsenic acrylate and divinyl benzene. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) curve show glass transition temperatures for IPN at 110 degreesC. The value of activation energy, calculated from thermogravimetric analysis, is 20 kJ/mol.