STUDY ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND PROPERTIES OF INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS OF POLY(ZINC ACRYLATE) AND POLYACRYLONITRILE

A series of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) based on poly(zinc acrylate) and polyacrylonitrile were synthesized by a sequential mode of synthesis. The IPNs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, i.r. spectroscopy and by measuring crosslink density. Divinyl benzene was used as the crosslinking agent for acrylonitrile, and azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. Variation in composition of the IPN was achieved by varying the concentration of polymer, monomer, crosslinker, initiator and the viscosity average molecular weight of polymer, and their effects on morphology and crosslinking were examined. The increase in concentration of linear polymer and initiator decreases crosslinking and increases incompatibility, while the increase in concentration of crosslinker increases both crosslinking and phase separation.