Mechanochemical block copolymerization in polybutadiene-styrene and methyl methacrylate mixtures has been studied by ultrasonic irradiation at 60°C. The results obtained were as follows:(1) Mechanical degradation of the polymer chain in the system polybutadiene-methyl methacrylate occurred rapidly and vigorously rather than that of polybutadien-estyrene mixtures. The rate constants
kd for mechanical degradation were 2.54×10
-7sec
-1 in the former system and 0.81×10
-7sec
-1 in the latter.(2) In both systems, the initial rate of mechano-chemical copolymerization
Rp decreased with increasing the initial concentration of polybutadiene.
Rp in the system polybutadiene-methyl methacrylate was much faster than that of polybutadiene-styrene mixtures and
Rp was given by:
Rp∝[S
t].(3) The polymerization catalyst and that fragments which were contained within the original polybutadiene were deposited by the action of ultrasonic waves.(4) The formation of mechanochemical block copolymers and its proportion were confirmed and the apparent degree of blocking
Db was approximately 42%. In addition, it was observed that even if the compatibility of the different polymers was bad, its compatibility was improved by the addition of both block copolymers.
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