Synthesis, Characterization, and Thermal Properties of Poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-benzyl methacrylate) copolymers

Abstract

In this study, novel copolymers of isobornyl methacrylate and benzyl methacrylate in three different compositions were synthesized by free radical polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator at 70 ◦C. The chemical structures of the poly(isobornyl methacrylate-co-benzyl methacrylate) copolymers were analysed by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. The percentage compositions of the synthesized copolymers were calculated with the help of H-NMR spectra. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermal Analysis  (DTA) were employed to investigate the thermal properties of these copolymers. Thermal analysis results were demonstrated that the thermal stability of the copolymers increased with the increase of BzMA units in the copolymer chain. DTA measurements were showed that the the glass transition temperatures of the studied copolymers increased with the increase in IBMA content.