Synthesis and Dilute Solution Viscosity Study of Poly (methyl Methacrylate)

Student: EGWU AGWU EGWU (Project, 2025)
Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering
Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State

Abstract

The synthesis and dilute solution viscosity studies of poly (methyl methacrylate) was carried out. Poly (methyl methacrylate) was prepared by solution polymerization technique. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and toluene were used as solvents. The effect of CCl4 and toluene used as solvents on the intrinsic viscosity of the resulting polymer was investigated using the dilute solution viscosity measurement technique. The results show that the polymer prepared with CCl4 gave lower intrinsic viscosity than the polymer made with toluene.
CCl4 has a higher chain transfer constant (2.40 x 10⁴) than toluene (0.02 x 10⁴).
This is largely responsible for the lower intrinsic viscosity of the polymer prepared with CCl4 than that of the polymer prepared with toluene. This is true because a solvent with a higher chain transfer constant will result in greater degree of chain transfer reactions which ultimately reduce the intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight of the polymer. The result therefore shows that toluene is a better solvent than CCl4 for solution polymerization of poly (methyl methacrylate).

Keywords
Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) PMMA polymer synthesis dilute solution viscosity viscosity measurement molecular weight polymer characterization polymer–solvent interaction polymer chemistry material science
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