Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity Ratios of Bis (1-Oxododecyl) Peroxide Initiated Methacrylonitrile Copolymers

Copolymer of Methacrylonitrile (MAN) with ethyl methacrylate (EMA) was synthesized by free radical polymerization method using bis (1-oxododecyl) peroxide as initiator in dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent at 60 + 10C. The copolymer samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR). The monomer reactivity ratios were computed by both Fineman-Ross (F-R) and Kelen-Tudos (K-T) methods. The computed reactivity ratio values confirm the formation of random copolymers. The formation of random copolymer was also supported by azeotropic composition evaluation. The number of MAN units in copolymer increased with increasing concentration of MAN. Hence EMA acts as a retarder in the copolymerization.