Docosyl acrylate modified polyacrylic acid: synthesis and crystallinity

Copolymers of n-docosyl acrylate and acrylic acid were synthesized in tetrahydrofuran by conventional free radical polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The increase in crystallinity of the copolymers with increasing C22 acrylate mole fraction was studied. It was found that even with very low mole fraction of C22 acrylate (0.14) in the polymer chain the copolymers shows significant crystallinity (crystallinity fraction 0.23 against 0.52 for homopolymer of C22 acrylate).