Doctoral Degrees (Chemistry and Polymer Science)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Chemistry and Polymer Science) by Author "Alshuiref, Abubaker"

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    Synthesis and characterization of two novel urethane macromonomers and their methacrylic/urethane graft copolymers
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Alshuiref, Abubaker; Sanderson, R. D.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Chemistry and Polymer Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Polymethacrylates are well known adhesives and can carry specific functionality, but have the disadvantage that their flexible backbones impart limited thermal stability and mechanical strength. Polyurethanes (PUs) are finding increasing application and use in many industries due to their advantageous properties, such as a wide range of flexibility combined with toughness, high chemical resistance and excellent weatherability. PUs do however have some disadvantages, for instance, PU is considered an expensive polymer, especially when considered for solvent based adhesives. the focus of this study was to consider a largely unstudied area of PU chemistry, namely combining PUs with polymethacrylates. Two types of linear urethane macromers (UMs) UM1 and UM2 were synthesized by the polyaddition polymerization of 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) with ethylene glycol (EG), and MDI with neopentylglycol (NPG), via a pre-polymer method, followed by termination with 2-hydroxy ethylacrylate (2-HEA) and methanol (MeOH) to yield UMs having specific urethane chain lengths, and which have to be predominantly monofunctional. Structural identification of the UMs was verified by MALDI-TOF-MS, FTIR, 13C-NMR and 1HNMR spectroscopy.Various percentages of the respective UMs (0_55 wt % of methacrylate monomers) were then incorporated into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly n-butyl methacrylate (PnBMA) backbones via solution free-radical copolymerization. The resulting methyl methacrylate-g-urethane and n-butyl methacrylate-g-urethane copolymers were characterized by 1H-NMR,13C-NMR, FTIR, SEC with double detectors (UV and RI), light scattering, UV-Vis, HPLC, TGA, DSC, DMA and TEM. Weight percentages of UM incorporated into the methyl methacrylate-g-urethane copolymers were calculated using FTIR, UV-Vis and 1H-NMR techniques. Phase separation which occurred between the urethane segment and methacrylate segment in the graft copolymerization products was investigated by DMA, DSC and TEM analysis. Microphase separation occurred in all PMMA-g-UM1 and PnBMA-g-UM1 copolymers: two glass transitions temperatures corresponding to the PMMA or PnBMA and UM1 fractions, respectively, were observed. On the other hand, DMA and DSC results showed that in most graft copolymer products the two respective component parts PMMA-g-UM2 or PnBMA-g- UM2 were compatible, because only one Tg was observed. Two glass transitions occurred for PMMA or PnBMA and UM2 when the amount of UM was increased to 55 wt % during copolymerization and microphase separation was evident in DSC, DMA and TEM measurements. Thermal stability and storage modulus (stiffness) of all the synthesized PMMA-g-urethane and PnBMA-g-urethane copolymers increased as the concentration of urethane macromonomer in the copolymerization feed increased, as confirmed in TGA and DMA results. The surface and adhesive properties of the synthesized graft copolymer were studied by measuring the static contact angle and peel strength. Adhesion increased as the content of UMs increased in the graft copolymer. The graft copolymers prepared using a high UM2 feed for both PMMA and PnBMA showed improved in adhesion compared to the pure methacrylate polymers. The adhesion was better for both leather and for vinyl.