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SynopsisPure graft polymers having uniform molecular weight polystyrene side chains were prepared by free radical copolymerization of methacrylate-terminated polystyrene macromonomers (MA-CROMER) with ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, or other suitable monomers. The MACROMER monomer was synthesized by living anionic polymerization under conditions that led to very narrow molecular weight distributions. Very effective end capping produced a material that was highly monofunctional. The graft copolymers were prepared by several techniques such as free radical solution polymerization, by aqueous suspension polymerization which produced beads, or by emulsion reactions which yielded stable latices. Polymerizations were reproducible. High conversion of the MACROMER monomer into pure graft polymers was achieved, and the product was contaminated with only a little homopolymer. The milled and molded phase-separated graft polymers had optical clarity and physical properties characteristic of polystyrene-reinforced triblock polymers. Compositions of 20-30% polystyrene were thermoplastic elastomers with good recovery. When polystyrene contents were increased, the graft products were strong, flexible thermoplastics with welldefined yield strengths and increased permanent set. Copolymers of polystyrene macromers with acrylonitrile or vinyl chloride produced transparent polystyrene homopolymer-free graft polymer products having improved processing over polyacrylonitrile or poly(viny1 chloride) homopolymers.

SynopsisCopolymerization studies of methacrylate-terminated polystyrene macromonomers (MI) with several comonomers (M,) verified the modified kinetic scheme and permitted prediction of graft polymer compositions and structures. Instantaneous and cumulative copolymer compositions, average graft distributions, and grafts per molecule are predicted from FORTRAN IV or BASIC programs. The r, relative reactivity ratios determined from styrene copolymerization (0.61) or from low conversion acrylic monomer in aqueous suspension (4.4) had good agreement with literature values (about 0.6 and 0.4, respectively). Decreased macromonomer reactivity determined at high acrylic monomer conversions was attributed to phase separation phenomena. The Macromers also exhibited lower reactivity than predicted when copolymerized with acrylic monomers in DMSO/benzene solutions (r2 -0.8).

A study has been carried out on the molecular weight distributions of polystyrene initiated by sodium naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran solution. Stringent high‐vacuum techniques were used in order to minimize initiator destruction or chain termination. Molecular weights were measured by osmotic pressure, dilute solution viscosity, light scattering and sedimentation equilibrium. In general, the molecular weight distributions found were quite narrow, as predicted, and corresponded to a stoichiometry of one polymer chain for two initiator molecules. However, the breadth of the distribution was very sensitive to experimental conditions, the M̄w/M̄n values found ranging from 1.1 to 1.5. At the higher molecular weights, there was some indication of a chain transfer reaction, leading to a lower molecular weight than expected, as well as a broadening of the distribution. This transfer reaction did not appear to be due to any transfer step between the short‐lived radical‐anions and the solvent.

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