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The gamma-ray-induced copolymerization of vinyl triethoxy silane (VTES) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was developed to be used in the simultaneous preservation and consolidation of archeological artifacts. A detailed analysis was performed to characterize the copolymerization reaction and conversion. The copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and elemental analysis techniques. The mol fraction of VTES units in the synthesized copolymers were determined by elemental analysis of silicone pertaining to VTES segments using inductive coupling plasma spectroscopy (ICP). The effect of VTES mol fraction in the initial feed and the irradiation dose (6.5, 8.5, 10.0 kGy) on the yield of copolymerization was investigated. The yield of the copolymerization was found to decrease with increasing the VTES mol fraction in the monomer feed, and to increase with increasing the irradiation dose at each monomer composition. However, using the data obtained from the ICP measurements, the mol fraction of the VTES units in synthesized copolymers was determined to increase with increasing the VTES concentration in the initial monomer feed. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was copolymerized with vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) using Co-60-gamma-radiation at varying volume fractions of the liquid monomers in the feed. Thin copolymer films were prepared by casting tetrahydrofuran solutions of the copolymers on a mercury surface. The effect of the mole fraction of VTES in the copolymer on the glass transition temperatures, mechanical properties and water vapor permeabilities were investigated. Glass transition temperatures and mechanical properties decreased with increasing VTES content in the copolymer. However, the water vapor permeabilities were found to increase with the VTES content. The increased water vapor permeation was attributed to increased water solubility in the copolymers due to the presence of Si-O-bonds.

Energetic poly(glycidyl azide) (PGA) elastomers with different crosslink densities were prepared by varying the NCO/OH reactive-groups ratio from 0.8 to 1.0. In the preparation of the elastomers, PGA chains were end-liked with a mixture of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) and trimethylol propane (TMP) at a fixed TMP/PGA mole ratio. The number average molar mass between junction points of the network chains was calculated using data obtained from swelling and uniaxial tensile tests and the results ware compared. For the mechanical characterization of the networks, Mooney-Rivlin plots were prepared and the values of the constants 2C(1) and 2C(2) of PGA networks having different crosslink densities were determined.

Poly(glycidyl azide), PGA, was grafted onto Hydroxyl Terminated Poly(butadiene), HTPB, via free radical mechanism. PGA-macro azoinitator and HTPB polymer mixture was casted from solution and the polymer film was kept at 90 degrees C for 4 hours. The grafted polymer was isolated from the product by fractional precipitation and characterized by NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. Graft copolymer structure was also confirmed that volume ratio of nonsolvent to the solution of the graft copolymer was between those of corresponding homopolymers. TGA traces of the block polymers were containing two different maxima at 253 degrees C (for PGA units) and 469 degrees C (for HTPB units). Because of the incompatibility of the blocks, DSC curve showed two T-g's which belong to the related segments.

Poly(glycidyl azide) (PGA) an energetic polymer and polyepichlorohydrin (PECH) were condensed with 4,4' azobis(4-cyanopentanoyl chloride) (ACPC) to prepare macro-azo-initiators. Block copolymers containing each of these polyethers as a block segment combined with polystyrene (PS) or poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) have been drived by the polymerization of monomers initiated with this macro-azo-initiators. Thermal properties of block copolymers were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry. DSC traces showed single glass transition temperatures in between the related segments of copolymers. Dynamic thermogravimetric analysis revealed the individual degradation behaviors of block segments (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.