In this work, the successful application of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to cardanyl acrylate, a polymerizable monomer derived from a renewable resource cardanol, is reported. Polycardanyl acrylate and poly(methylmethacrylate)-cardanyl acrylate copolymers were prepared in bulk ATRP, using Copper(l) bromide/N, N, N', N, N"-pentamethyl diethylene triamine (PMDETA) catalyst system at 95 degrees C in combination with ethyl-2-bromo isobutyrate initiator. The copolymers had mol. wt. (M-n) in the range 8300-2400 g/mol and polydispersity index (PDI) 1.27-2.00, depending upon the [M](O)/[I](O) ratio. H-1 NMR analysis of the copolymer showed that unsaturation in the side chain of cardanyl acrylate is unaffected under the conditions of ATRP This was further confirmed by studying the curing reaction of polycardanyl acrylate by supported dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) in dual cantilever mode. The thermogravimetric analysis shows that the copolymers have improved thermal stability, by about 35 degrees C, in comparison with pure PMMA. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.