Complex radical copolymerization of N-vinyl pyrrolidone with different monomers

In this study, the synthesis and characterization of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone-alt-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide-co-butyl acrylate) were carried out.The complex radical copolymerization reactions by using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator were performed at 70 ? C. Syntheses of the polymers were studied by using different monomer concentrations. Copolymers were isolated from reacted mixture by precipitation with diethyl ether, then washed with several portions of dioxane and dried at 40 ? C under vacuum.In characterization part, firstly the viscosimetric measurements were carried out firstly at 25 ? 0,03 ? C in water bath to investigate the relationship between the monomer concentrations and the molecular weights of the synthesized polymers. Then the structures of the synthesized copolymers were clarified by NMR and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. The thermal behaviour of the copolymers were studied by TGA method. The monomer reactivity ratios were calculated by using the data obtained from FTIR method.Finally the composition of the copolymers were analyzed by elemental analysis and FTIR methods and the results showed that the copolymers are alternating.Key Words: Vinyl Pyrrolidone, N-hydroxymethyl Acrylamide, Butyl Acrylate, Copolymer, Terpolymer, FTIR, TGA, NMR, Elemental Analysis, Viscosity