PROPERTIES OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE-G-PROPYLENE OXIDE) IN SOLUTION

Graft copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate) backbone and uniform poly(propylene oxide) branches were synthesized by the macromonomer technique and characterized by VPO, GPC and H-1-NMR. Viscometric investigations of unfractionated samples were carried out at 25-degrees-C in chloroform and toluene (non-selective solvents) and in carbon tetrachloride (a selective solvent for the branches). The coefficients of the Huggins, Kraemer, Martin and Schulz-Blaschke equations were calculated. According to the values obtained for the Huggins coefficient, k(h), the best solvent for the copolymer seems to be chloroform. The positive values of the Kraemer coefficient, k(k), determined in carbon tetrachloride, suggest that the copolymer assumes a star-like conformation in this solvent.