Plasma-Initiated Polymerization and Copolymerization of Liquid Vinyl Monomers
Yoshihito Osada, Alexis T. Bell, Mitchel C. Shen · ACS symposium series · 1979
Abstract A series of vinyl monomers were polymerized via plasma initiation. 1 1. Monomer-copolymer composition relationship for the plasma-initiated copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene. Plasma-initiated polymerization: (•) NMR, ( ✗ ) elemental analysis. Thermal polymerization: (○) NMR, (▵) elemental analysis, (―) theoretical curve. r MMA = 0.46; r sty = 0.52. High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide 2 2. NMR spectra of poly(methyl methacryhte-co-styrene) obtained by (1) plasma-initiated polymerization and (2) thermal polymerization. In 0.2% CDCl 3; (A) monomer feed: MMA 0.6, sty 0.4; (B) monomer feed: MMA 0.8, sty 0.2. High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Table 2. Plasma-Initiated Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Styrene* High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Table 3. Plasma-Initiated Copolymerization MMA with MAA High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide 3 3. NMR spectra of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) obtained by (1) plasma-initiated polymerization and (2) thermal polymerization in 0.2% deuterated pyridine. Monomer feed: MMA 0.55, MMA 0.45. High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Monomers were frozen in ampules, evacuated and sealed. The ampule was then inserted between parallel plate electrodes, and plasma was generated in the vapor phase above the frozen monomer. Post-polymerization was carried out in the liquid state. Methyl methacrylate has been found to yield ultrahigh molecular weight polymers to high conversion. Methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, acrylamide and methacrylamide in aqueous solutions were also polymerized with high yields. However, styrene, α-methylstyrene and higher acrylic esters were not polymerizable via plasma initiation. Copolymerizations of methyl methacrylate with styrene and with methacrylic acid were also carried out. The copolymer composition diagrams are characteristic of those polymerized by free radical mechanism.