DIRECT INCORPORATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO POLY(GLYCIDYL METHACRYLATE-CO-ACRYLONITRILE) USING QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALT CATALYST AND ITS APPLICATION TO POLYMER BLENDS

ABSTRACT

The study is related to an integrated process for the utilization of carbon dioxide to polymer blends via a copolymer bearing cyclic carbonate group. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-acrylonitrile) [poly(PG MA-co-AN)] was converted to a poly[(2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane-4-yl) methyl methacrylate-co-acrylonitrile] [poly(DOMA-co-AN)] by the polymer reaction with carbon dioxide using quaternary ammonium salt as a catalyst. Among the quaternary salts tested, the one having a larger alkyl group and more nucleophilic counter anions, exhibited better catalytic activity in the addition of CO₂ to poly(GMA-co-AN). In a semibatch reaction system, pseudo first-order rate equation agreed with the experimental results. The miscibility of poly(DOMA-co-AN) with styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN, 25 wt% of AN) copolymer or methyl methacrylate/ethyl acrylate (MMA-EA, 7 wt% of EA) copolymer has been investig ated both by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and visual inspection of the blends. Poly(DOMA-co-AN) formed clear films when blended with SAN or MMA-EA. DSC analysis also showed that poly(DOMA-co-AN) containing blends were miscible in the whole composition ranges. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the polymer blends closely matched the Fox equation.

Keywords:

• Carbon dioxide
• Addition
• Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-acrylonitrile)
• Quaternary ammonium salt
• Blends

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF 2000-2-30700-002-3) and Pusan National University Research Grant.