Synthesis, Characterization, and Thermal Degradation Kinetics of the Copolymer Poly(4-methoxybenzyl methacrylate-co-isobornyl methacrylate)

A copolymer of 4-methoxybenzyl methacrylate and isobornyl methacrylate was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. The structure of poly(4-methoxybenzyl methacrylate-co-isobornyl methacrylate) was confirmed by means of Fourier transform infrared, H-1-NMR, and C-13-NMR techniques. The molecular weight distribution values of the copolymer were determined with gel permeation chromatography. The number-average molecular weight and polydispersity index values of poly(4-methoxybenzyl methacrylate-co-isobornyl methacrylate) were found to be 12,500 and 1.5, respectively. The kinetics of the thermal degradation of the copolymer was investigated with thermogravimetric analysis at different heating rates. The activation energy values obtained with the Kissinger, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and Tang methods were determined to be 166.38, 167.54, and 167.47 kJ/mol, respectively. Different integral and differential methods were used, and the results were compared with these values. Doyle approximation was also used for comparing the experimental results to master plots. An analysis of the experimental results suggested that the reaction mechanism was an R, deceleration type in the conversion range studied. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 115: 2359-2367, 2010