Synthesis, characterization, and property evaluations of copolymers of diamantyl methacrylate with methyl methacrylate

Abstract

AbstractThis work reports the homo‐ and copolymerization behavior of previously unknown 4‐diamantyl methacrylate (DMA) with vinyl comonomers like methyl methacrylate (MMA); the starting monomer DMA was synthesized in our laboratory using 4‐diamantanol and methacryloyl chloride. The structures of the homo‐ and copolymers were analyzed using NMR techniques. DMA was found to be more reactive than MMA during copolymerization. The reactivity ratios as determined by the Kelen‐Tüdos method are r_MMA = 0.58 and r_DMA = 1.75. The incorporation of a few mol % of diamantyl units into the PMMA backbone led to a significant increase in its thermal stability and glass transition temperature. The polymers with 15 and 42 mol % of DMA units in the copolymers showed increased T_g values of 126°C and 172°C, respectively. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009