Development of a new method for synthesis of poly(vinyl oleate) from poly(vinyl alcohol)

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) can be dissolved in a nonaqueous medium in presence of catalytic concentration of C2H5ONO2.DMSO (EN. DMSO). We report the preparation of poly(vinyl oleate) (PVO) by acid-catalysed homogeneous esterification of PVA with oleic acid in a nonaqueous medium. The formation of the ester was confirmed by i.r. and H-1-n.m.r. spectra. The molecular weight of the polymer was determined by g.p.c. and intrinsic viscosity, eta was determined by a viscometric method. The glass transition temperature (T-g) and other kinetic parameters were measured from differential scanning calorimetric (d.s.c.) thermograms. Thermal stabilities were checked by thermogravimetric analysis (t.g.a.) and differential thermogravimetric (d.t.g.). A possible mechanism of three-step thermal decomposition of PVO is proposed. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.