Polymerization methacrylic monomers

These materials are obtained through free-radical polymerization of acrylic or methacrylic monomers, or of fumarates. 

Monomers. A wide variety of monomers can be used, and they are chosen on the basis of cost and abiUty to impart specific properties to the final product. Water solubiUties of iadustriaHy important monomers are shown ia Table 1 (38). The solubiUty of the monomer ia water affects the physical chemistry of the polymerization. Functional monomers like methacrylic and acryUc acid, infinitely soluble ia water, are also used. These monomers impart long-term shelf stabiUty to latices by acting as emulsifiers. The polymerization behavior of some monomers, such as methacrylic acid, as well as the final latex properties are iafiuenced by pH. For optimum results with these acids, polymerization is best performed at a pH of ca 2. After polymerization, the latex is neutralized to give adequate shelf stabiUty at tractable viscosities. 

Free-radical polymerization processes are used to produce virtually all commercial methacrylic polymers. Usually free-radical initiators (qv) such as azo compounds or peroxides are used to initiate the polymerizations. Photochemical and radiation-initiated polymerizations are also well known. At a constant temperature, the initial rate of the bulk or solution radical polymerization of methacrylic monomers is first-order with respect to monomer concentration, and one-half order with respect to the initiator concentration. Rate data for polymerization of several common methacrylic monomers initiated with 2,2 -azobisisobutyronitrile [78-67-1] (AIBN) have been deterrnined and are shown in Table 8. 

The free-radical polymerization of methacrylic monomers follows a classical chain mechanism in which the chain-propagation step entails the head-to-taH growth of the polymeric free radical by attack on the double bond of the monomer. Chain termination can occur by either combination or disproportionation, depending on the conditions of the process (36). 

The surfactants (qv) used in the emulsion polymerization of acryUc or methacrylic monomers are classified as anionic, cationic, or nonionic. Anionic surfactants, such as alkyl sulfates and alkylarene sulfonates and phosphates, or nonionic surfactants, such as alkyl or aryl polyoxyethylenes, are most common. Mixed anionic nonionic surfactant systems are also widely utilized. 

Methacrylate monomers do not generally polymerize by a cationic mechanism. In fact, methacrylate functionaUty is often utilized as a passive pendent group for cationicaHy polymerizable monomers. Methacrylate monomers also have been used as solvents or cosolvents for cationic polymerizations (90,91). 

The Hquid is basically a methacrylate monomer having a suitable inhibitor to ensure adequate shelf life. A/Ai -Dimethyl-/)-toluidine [99-97-8] is probably the most common polymerization accelerator although A/A/-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)- -toluidine and/or a sulfinate salt, eg, sodium -toluene sulfinate [873-55-2], also maybe used. 

The addition—reaction product of bisphenol A [80-05-07] and glycidyl methacrylate [106-91-2] is a compromise between epoxy and methacrylate resins (245). This BSI—GMA resin polymerizes through a free-radical induced covalent bonding of methacrylate rather than the epoxide reaction of epoxy resins (246). Mineral fillers coated with a silane coupling agent, which bond the powdered inorganic fillers chemically to the resin matrix, are incorporated into BSI—GMA monomer diluted with other methacrylate monomers to make it less viscous (245). A second monomer commonly used to make composites is urethane dimethacrylate [69766-88-7]. 

Polymerization of styrene or methyl methacrylate by macroazoinimers having two vinyl groups (MIM-2v) resulted in crosslinked block copolymers, while macroazoinimers with one vinyl end (MIM-1 v) group to polymerize vinyl monomers yielded branched block copolymers. 

Various acrylates, methacrylates and related compounds have been reported to undergo spontaneous polymerization. 110 A complication in studying thermal polymerization of MMA is the difficulty in eliminating impurity initiated polymerization. The monomer is extremely difficult to purify or retain in a "pure" state. These problems have led some to question whether there is any true spontaneous initiation.323 It is, in any event, clear that the rate of thermal polymerization of MMA is substantially less than that of S at the same temperature (at least 70-fold less at 90 °C).310324... 

Polymerizations of methacrylic monomers in the presence of methacrylic macromonomers under monomer-starved conditions display many of the characteristics of living polymerization (Scheme 9.36). These systems involve RAFT (Section 9.5.2). However, RAFT with appropriate thiocarbonylthio compounds is the most well known process of this class (Section 9.5.3). It is also the most versatile having been shown to be compatible with most monomer types and a very wide range of reaction conditions.382... 

Macromonomer RAFT polymerization is most effective with methacrylate monomers (Table 9.9).With monosubstituted monomers (e.g. S, acrylates) graft copolymerization, is a significant side reaction which can be mitigated but not eliminated by the use of higher reaction temperatures. 

Although, ATRP appears most suited to polymerization of methacrylate monomers, a very w ide range of monomers can and have been used as is... 

NR, styrene-butadiene mbber (SBR), polybutadiene rubber, nitrile mbber, acrylic copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, and A-B-A type block copolymer with conjugated dienes have been used to prepare pressure-sensitive adhesives by EB radiation [116-126]. It is not necessary to heat up the sample to join the elastomeric joints. This has only been possible due to cross-linking procedure by EB irradiation [127]. Polyfunctional acrylates, tackifier resin, and other additives have also been used to improve adhesive properties. Sasaki et al. [128] have studied the EB radiation-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives from dimer acid-based polyester urethane diacrylate with various methacrylate monomers. Acrylamide has been polymerized in the intercalation space of montmorillonite using an EB. The polymerization condition has been studied using a statistical method. The product shows a good water adsorption and retention capacity [129]. 

Block copolymers comprised of PS and polymethacrylate blocks with aliphatic stearyl or decyl side groups were prepared by the sequential addition of monomers, as shown in Scheme 1. Styrene was polymerized in THF at - 78 °C using s-BuLi as the initiator [11,12]. The nucleophilicity of the living polystyryllithium was reduced by reaction with DPE (in order to avoid reactions with the carbonyl groups), followed by the polymerization of the methacrylate monomer. Stearyl methacrylate, SMA is associated with... 

Employing similar procedures, PPO-fc-POEGMA block copolymers and POEGMA-fc-PPO-fc-POEGMA triblock copolymers were prepared from the corresponding PPO macroinitiators [129]. The polymerizations were performed in a isopropanol/water (70/30) mixture at 20 °C using CuCl and bpy. The methacrylate monomer was almost quantitatively polymerized, and the polydispersities were lower than 1.25 in most cases. Less than 5% PPO homopolymer contamination was detected by SEC analysis. 

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