Graft copolymers polymerization

Mino, G., and S. Kaizerman A new method for the preparation of graft copolymers. Polymerization initiated by ceric ion redox systems. J. Polymer Sci. 31, 242 (1958). 

Most reports on emulsion polymerisation have been limited to commercially available surfactants which, in many cases, are relatively simple molecules such as sodium dodecyl sulphate and simple nonionic surfactants. However, studies on the effects of surfactant structure on latex formation have revealed the importance of the structure of the molecule. Block and graft copolymers (polymeric surfactants) are expected to be better stabilisers when compared to simple surfactants. The use of these polymeric surfactants in emulsion polymerisation and the stabilisation of the resulting polymer particles is discussed below. 

Remember from Sec. 1.3 that graft copolymers have polymeric side chains which differ in the nature of the repeat unit from the backbone. These can be prepared by introducing a prepolymerized sample of the backbone polymer into a reactive mixture—i.e., one containing a source of free radicals—of the side-chain monomer. As an example, consider introducing polybutadiene into a reactive mixture of styrene ... 

Etherification and esterification of hydroxyl groups produce derivatives, some of which are produced commercially. Derivatives may also be obtained by graft polymerization wherein free radicals, initiated on the starch backbone by ceric ion or irradiation, react with monomers such as vinyl or acrylyl derivatives. A number of such copolymers have been prepared and evaluated in extmsion processing (49). A starch—acrylonitrile graft copolymer has been patented (50) which rapidly absorbs many hundred times its weight in water and has potential appHcations in disposable diapers and medical suppHes. 

Copolymers of VDC can also be prepared by methods other than conventional free-radical polymerization. Copolymers have been formed by irradiation and with various organometaHic and coordination complex catalysts (28,44,50—53). Graft copolymers have also been described (54—58). 

Emulsion polymerizations of vinyl acetate in the presence of ethylene oxide- or propylene oxide-based surfactants and protective coUoids also are characterized by the formation of graft copolymers of vinyl acetate on these materials. This was also observed in mixed systems of hydroxyethyl cellulose and nonylphenol ethoxylates. The oxyethylene chain groups supply the specific site of transfer (111). The concentration of insoluble (grafted) polymer decreases with increase in surfactant ratio, and (max) is observed at an ethoxylation degree of 8 (112). 

In the suspension polymerization of PVC, droplets of monomer 30—150 p.m in diameter are dispersed in water by agitation. A thin membrane is formed at the water—monomer interface by dispersants such as poly(vinyl alcohol) or methyl cellulose. This membrane, isolated by dissolving the PVC in tetrahydrofuran and measured at 0.01—0.02-p.m thick, has been found to be a graft copolymer of polyvinyl chloride and poly(vinyl alcohol) (4,5). Early in the polymerization, particles of PVC deposit onto the membrane from both the monomer and the water sides, forming a skin 0.5—5-p.m thick that can be observed on grains sectioned after polymerization (4,6). Primary particles, 1 p.m in diameter, deposit onto the membrane from the monomer side (Pig. 1), whereas water-phase polymer, 0.1 p.m in diameter, deposits onto the skin from the water side of the membrane (Pig. 2) (4). These domain-sized water-phase particles may be one source of the observed domain stmcture (7). 

Group-Transfer Polymerization. Living polymerization of acrylic monomers has been carried out using ketene silyl acetals as initiators. This chemistry can be used to make random, block, or graft copolymers of polar monomers. The following scheme demonstrates the synthesis of a methyl methacrylate—lauryl methacrylate (MMA—LMA) AB block copolymer (38). LMA is CH2=C(CH2)COO(CH2) CH2. 

A waterborne system for container coatings was developed based on a graft copolymerization of an advanced epoxy resin and an acryHc (52). The acryhc-vinyl monomers are grafted onto preformed epoxy resins in the presence of a free-radical initiator grafting occurs mainly at the methylene group of the aHphatic backbone on the epoxy resin. The polymeric product is a mixture of methacrylic acid—styrene copolymer, soHd epoxy resin, and graft copolymer of the unsaturated monomers onto the epoxy resin backbone. It is dispersible in water upon neutralization with an amine before cure with an amino—formaldehyde resin. 

Figure 9 The schematical representation of dispersion polymerization process, (a) initially homogeneous dispersion medium (b) particle formation and stabilizer adsorption onto the nucleated macroradicals (c) capturing of radicals generated in the continuous medium by the forming particles and monomer diffusion to the forming particles (d) polymerization within the monomer swollen latex particles, (e) latex particle stabilized by steric stabilizer and graft copolymer molecules (f) list of symbols.

If (P ) is terminated by a chain transfer to a solvent or a monomer, a graft copolymer is formed, or, if the termination is from a combination, a crosslinked network polymer is formed. If the pre-existing polymer (B) contains an end group that itself is photosensitive (or can produce a radical by interacting with photoinitiator) and in the presence of a vinyl monomer (A), block copolymer of type AB can be produced if the photosensitive group is on one end of the polymeric chain. Type ABA block copolymer can be produced if the polymer chain (B) contains a photosensitive group on both ends. 

Graft copolymer—A graft copolymer consists of a polymeric backbone with covalently linked lateral... 

Grafting provides a convenient means for modifying the properties of numerous polymers. It is often required that a polymer possess a number of properties. Such diverse properties may not be easily achieved by the synthesis of homopolymers alone but can be achieved through the formation of copolymers or even terpoly-mers. The formation of graft copolymer with sufficiently long polymeric sequences of diverse chemical composition opens the way to afford speciality polymeric materials. 

The trapped radicals, most of which are presumably polymeric species, have been used to initiate graft copolymerization [127,128]. For this purpose, the irradiated polymer is brought into contact with a monomer that can diffuse into the polymer and thus reach the trapped radical sites. This reaction is assumed to lead almost exclusively to graft copolymer and to very little homopolymer since it can be conducted at low temperature, thus minimizing thermal initiation and chain transfer processes. Moreover, low-molecular weight radicals, which would initiate homopolymerization, are not expected to remain trapped at ordinary temperatures. Accordingly, irradiation at low temperatures increases the grafting yield [129]. 

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