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R. Mahmod ¹, M. Z. Yahya ¹, N. Abdullah ²

Affiliations
1 Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Lebuhraya Tun Razak – 26300, Gambang, Pahang, MY
2 Rare Earth Research Centre (RERC), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak – 26300, Gambang, Pahang, MY

Abstract

Crosslinked polymer beads were prepared by photoinitiated dispersion polymerization in a mixture of ethanol and water. In this study, the effect of types of photoinitiator, types of monomer and reaction times on particles morphology, size and size distribution and yield were investigated. Better quality of poly(st-co-EGDMA-co-VBC) obtained compared to poly(methylmethacrylate-co- EGDMA-co-VBC). However, the yield of poly(st-co-EGDMA-co-VBC) lower than poly(methylmethacrylate-co-EGDMA-co-VBC). On this regard, poly(methylmethacrylate-co-EGDMA-co-VBC) was selected to investigate further. Changing the types of photoinitiator managed to increase the quality and size of poly(methylmethacrylate-co-EGDMA-co-VBC) particles but yield obtained was decreasing. Meanwhile, longer reaction time leading to high yield and bigger size of poly(methylmethacrylate-co-EGDMA-co- VBC) particles but with lower quality. For all cases, FTIR analysis proved all functional groups have successfully attached to the polymeric backbone.

Keywords

Crosslinked Polymer, Morphology, Photo Initiated Dispersion Polymerization, Size Distribution, Yield.

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M. Z. Yahya ¹, N. Abdullah ²

Affiliations
1 Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang, MY
2 Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang, MY

Abstract

Objectives: The aims of this paper was to produce hydroxyl hypercrosslinked polymers with high specific surface area derived from poly(HEMA-co-EGDMA-co-VBC) precursor beads. Methods: This was achieved using hyper crosslinking reaction and the beads were characterized by FTIR, SEM and BET analysis. Findings: The BET analysis showed that specific surface area increasing from ~5 m²/g to 310 m²/g when amount of VBC increased up to 90 wt%. However, when amount of EGDMA increasing from 40 wt% to 100 wt%, specific surface area decreasing from 310 m²/g to ~61 m²/g. SEM images also showed that when increasing EGDMA content, hypercrosslinked polymer still can retain precursor shape with satisfied quality. The catalyst ratio was varied between 1:1 to 3:1 mole ratio (based on -CH₂Cl content) and from the results obtained, there are no significant effect on specific surface area and morphology of hypercrosslinked polymer when ratio of catalyst increased. From FTIR spectra, reduction peak at 1265 cm^-1 resulted from methylene bridges formed in all experiments proved that hypercrosslinking reaction was successfully carried out. Application/Improvement: Hypercrosslinked polymer will be used in functionalization reaction to produce quaternary ammonium resin.

Keywords

Hypercrosslinked Hydrophilic Polymer, Hypercrosslinking Reaction, Morphology Hypercrosslinked Polymer Specific Surface Area.

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