ABSTRACT
In copolymerizations two or more monomers are built into the polymer chain during polymerization. Classical examples hereof are the incorporation of isoprene in polyisobutylene to allow for vulcanization or the copolymerization of divinylbenzene with styrene to improve the resistance against petrol. The reactivity ratios were determined by performing a thermal polymerization at 135C of several styrene-butylmethacrylate mixtures in which the mole fraction of styrene varied from 0.1 to 0.9. The different copolymers were analyzed by elemental analysis. The determination of the carbon and oxygen content in the copolymer gave the amount of styrene in the copolymer. The rate of copolymerization of styrene with butylmethacrylate was studied by using isothermal differential scanning calorimetry.
