Journal of Polymers and the Environment, cilt.31, sa.8, ss.3688-3699, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
A novel macro intermediate based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) was synthesized for use in the copolymerization with dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). Methyl amino ethanol was reacted with PHBHHx to prepare a dihydroxy terminated polyester. The hydroxyl ends of the obtained PHBHHx derivatives were capped with 4,4’-azobis cyanopentanoic acid to obtain the PHBHHx macroazo initiator (PHBHHx-AI) for free radical copolymerization of DMAEMA at 70oC. A steady increase in DMAEMA units in the synthesized block copolymer as a function of time was observed. The overall rate constants for the free radical polymerization of DMAEMA initiated by PHBHHx-AI was k = 2.33 × 10− 4 Lmol-1s-1. Block copolymers were characterized using the 1 H NMR, FTIR, DSC and TGA techniques.