N-phenylmaleimide (PMI) monomer is usually used for excellent heat resistance and has been copolymerized with various other monomers to have a suitable combination of properties. In respect of thermal properties, especially PMI random copolymers containing styrene (St) in the backbone are used for various applications through blending with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. Structural analysis of these copolymers has been a challenge especially when a polymer contains more than one monomer units or structurally similar units. In the random copolymers, there are influences due to different structural units on either side of a particular monomer unit. Hence, it is difficult to interpret the structure using one method of spectroscopy in random copolymer in contrast to a conventional homopolymer. In this study, we investigated the composition and molecular structure of the tetra-polymer, poly(N-phenylmaleimide-co–α-methlystyrene-co-acrylonitrile-co-styrene) (Poly(PMI-AMS-AN-St)) through FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectrophotometer. Initially, the presence of the functional group was confirmed through FT-IR and the composition of PMI in comparison to styrenic units was confirmed through a calibration curve. Finally, the content analysis of each unit, PMI, AMS, AN and St was carried out using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy.

Spectroscopic analysis of random tetra-polymer: Poly(PMI-AMS-AN-St)

254th National Meeting (2017)

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