Synthesis and thermal properties of triblock copolymers of methyl methacrylate using combination of anionic and controlled radical polymerization: Poly(methyl methacrylate) center block bearing different microstructures.

ABA and/or ABC type triblock copolymers were synthesized by living anionic and controlled radical polymerization in which poly(methyl methacrylate) was used as central block. The structural composition of these block copolymers were determined by ¹H NMR. The block length/molecular weight and microstructure of these polymers were measured by SEC. The microstructure of resultant central alkyl methacrylate block can be tailored from highly syndiotactic to highly isotactic structure by varying the solvent and/or initiator. The thermal and rheological properties of center poly(methyl methacrylate) block and poly(styrene-b- methyl methacrylate-b- styrene) tri block copolymers were studied in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]