Redox polymerization of methyl methacrylate with allyl alcohol 1,2-butoxylate-block-ethoxylate initiated by Ce(IV)/HNO3 redox system

Redox initiated free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with allyl alcohol 1,2-butoxylate-block-ethoxylate (AABE) was carried out using cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate/nitric acid (HNO3) redox system to yield AABE-b-PMMA copolymers. The effects of MMA, AABE, Ce(IV) and HNO3 concentrations on the polymerization rate and polymer yield were investigated. The effect of temperature on the rate of polymerization and polymer yield was also investigated in the temperature range of 25–70 °C. Copolymers were characterized using GPC, FT-IR, 1H NMR and viscometry methods.