Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene-vinyl alcohol)-g-poly(butyl acrylate) copolymers

Abstract

Abstract Ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers with different vinyl alcohol (VOH) mole % have been grafted by the carboxyl terminated poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) prepolymers by the grafting-onto method. The carboxyl terminated PBA were synthesised by solution radical polymerization using 4,4 azobis(cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA) as initiator and thioglycolic acid (TGA) as matched chain transfer agent and then converting carboxyl groups into acid chloride terminated prepolymer by reacting with oxalyl chloride. The acid chloride terminated prepolymers were reacted with EVOH copolymer backbone to synthesize graft copolymers. The graft copolymers were characterized by the Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), Fourier Transfer Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Results from these analyses confirmed the grafting of PBA side chain on to EVOH backbone. Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) and x-ray diffraction studies of graft copolymers showed that the morphology of crystalline EVOH polymers has been disrupted due to grafting of amorphous PBA chains.