Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.84, No.5, 1070-1075, 2002
Synthesis and characterization of emulsion copolymer of N-cyclohexylmaleimide and methyl methacrylate
Copolymers of N-cyclohexylmaleimide (ChMI) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were synthesized by the emulsion semibatch copolymerization method. The effects of the monomer mixture composition on the average molecular weight ((M)over bar(n) and (M)over bar(w)), glass transition temperature (T-g), degradation temperature, mechanical properties, and rheological behavior of the copolymers were investigated. The results show that (M) over bar (n) and (M) over bar (w) have maximum values when the ChMI feed content was about 20% (by wt). The degradation temperature and T, of the copolymers increase with increasing ChMI moieties in the copolymer. The mechanical properties (tensile strength and impact strength) decrease with an increasing ChMI feed content. All copolymers in the melt show pseudoplastic behavior. The flow index n increases with an increasing ChMI feed content.
Keywords:N-cyclohexylmaleimide;MMA;emulsion polymerization;thermal analysis;mechanical properties;rheology