Preparation and thermal degradation studies of telechelic poly(methyl methacrylate)

Bifunctional methyl methacrylate polymers, with CH2CH2OH or CH2CH2ONa chain ends, have been prepared by anionic polymerisation. The stability and degradation behaviour of these materials has been examined by thermogravimetry and thermal volatilisation analysis (TVA) and compared with the corresponding behaviour of anionically prepared PMMA samples with saturated chain ends. The nature of the degradation products has also been studied using the TVA approach. The telechelic samples were found to be slightly more stable, and the presence of these end structures results in significant differences in product composition, although methyl methacrylate remains the predominant product. Mechanisms are suggested to account for the new products and differences in stability. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.