Abstract
Synthesis and crosslinking of a self-crosslinkable copolymer having hemiacetal ester and epoxy moieties were designed. The radical copolymerization of 1-butoxyethyl methacrylate having hemiacetal ester moiety with glycidyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate was carried out at 80°C for 6.5h using AIBN as an initiator to obtain the corresponding copolymer having the hemiacetal ester and epoxy moieties in the side chains. The obtained copolymer undertook the self-crosslinking through two-step reactions consisting of thermal dissociation of the hemiacetal ester moiety and esterification of the generated carboxyl with the epoxy groups. The curing rate increased as the temperature raised and the crosslinking reactions were completed at 160°C for 60min. The copolymer in xylene was stable under 50°C.
