ABSTRACT
In the study, acrylamide as the highest polymerizable monomer through hydrogen-transfer polymerization (HTP), and β-butyrolactone as a comonomer (mole % of BBL; 10, 25, 50, and 75) were used to synthesize a novel poly(ester-amide). Compositions, average molar masses, and thermal properties of the copolymers were elicited by using elemental and spectroscopic analyzes (FTIR and NMR), mass spectrometry (MALDI), and thermal analyzes (DSC and TGA), respectively. The copolymers were found to have compositions different from the feed ratio applied but close when the data obtained from elemental analysis were evaluated in detail. The results obtained from different methods to determine the copolymer compositions were found to be consistent with each other. The highest average mass of 6,000 g/mol was reached for the copolymers prepared. Glass transition temperature (Tg ) shifts between 0°C and 10C in the DSC thermograms of the copolymers proves the existence of ester blocks in the main chains. DTG thermograms exhibit two-step thermal decomposition shifts centered at about 240°C and 340°C that also support the existence of two chemically distinct blocks in the copolymer samples.
