Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymers of poly(vinyl chloride) with styrene and (meth)acrylates by atom transfer radical polymerization

Graft copolymers of poly(vinyl chloride) with styrene and (meth)acrylates were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization. Poly(vinyl chloride) containing small amount of pendent chloroacetate units was used as a macroinitiator. The formation of the graft copolymer was confirmed with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy. The graft copolymers with increasing incorporation of butyl acrylate result in an increase of molecular weight. One glass transition temperature (Tg) was observed for all copolymers. Tg of the copolymer with butyl acrylate decreases with increasing content of butyl acrylate.