Open Access
ARTICLE
Tunable Hydrophilicity of Poly(ethyl lactate acrylate-coacrylic acid)
M. Purushothaman1, P. Santhana Gopala Krishnan1,2,*, S. K. Nayak1,2
1 Department of Plastics Technology, Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, T.V.K Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Chennai-600032, India
2 Department of Plastics Engineering, Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Patia, Bhubaneswar-751024, India
* Corresponding Authors: ;
Journal of Renewable Materials 2015, 3(4), 292-301. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2015.634114
Received 14 February 2015; Accepted 23 June 2015;
Abstract
Four copolymers of poly(ethyl lactate acrylate-co-acrylic acid) were prepared by the solution polymerization
technique by varying the comonomer content from 0.2 to 0.8 mole percent. The copolymers were characterized
by FT-IR,
1H-NMR and proton decoupled
13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The reactivity ratio of ethyl
lactate acrylate (ELA) and acrylic acid (AA) was calculated using the Fineman-Ross method and the values
were found to be 0.101 and 0.186, respectively, indicating the formation of an alternating copolymer. From the
wide-angle X-ray diffraction studies (WAXD), the average molecular interchain spacing (
) was calculated
from the 2θ value of amorphous halo at about 20°. The values varied from 5.20 to 5.64 Å and increased
with an increase in the ELA content. The water absorption of copolymers followed Fickian absorption.
Depending upon the copolymer composition, relative humidity and time, the water absorption of copolymers
can be tuned to a wide range from 3 to 35% (w/w). The Tg
of copolymers decreased from 106 to −27.4°C with
an increase in the ELA content. The copolymers were thermally stable up to 150°C and thereafter exhibited
three-step thermal degradation in nitrogen atmosphere. The thermal stability of polymers can be explained on
the basis of value.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Purushothaman, M., Santhana, P., Nayak, S. K. (2015). Tunable Hydrophilicity of Poly(ethyl lactate acrylate-coacrylic acid).
Journal of Renewable Materials, 3(4), 292–301.