Copolymerization of Acrylonitrile with [(2-Methacryloyloxy)alkoxy ]trimethyl Silanes

Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, New Delhi-110 016

Acrylonitrile (AN) was copolymerized with ((2-methacryloyloxy)ethoxy]trimethylsilane (2-MAETMS) and (2methacryloyloxy]propoxy] trimethylsilane (2-MAPTMS) in dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide at temperatures between 50º and 70° using azoblslsobutyronitrile(AmN) as Initiator. The copolymer composition was determlued by silicon atimatloa and reactivity ratios were calculated by the Kelen-Tudos method. In both tbe systems, r₁(AN) and r₂(2-MAETMS/2-MAPTMS) are higher In DMF compared to the values in DMSO. Arrhenius parameters were derived for AN-2-MAETMS system. Tbe difterence between the activation energies (E₁₁-E₁₂) favour self-propagation for the acrylonitrile radical, whereas A₁₁/A₁₂ favours crosspropagation. In case of 2-MAETMS radical, E₂₂-E₂₁ favoun cross-propagatlou but A₂₂/ A₂₁ favours self-propagation. The Influence of the comonomers on some of the basic properties of copolymers like solubility, Intrinsic viscosity, softening and glass transitions have also been studied.