Poly(trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate) modified with esters derivatives of 3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol

Abstract

The main objective of this paper was to study the influence of the diesters derivatives of naturally occurring alcohol: 3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol, on the thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical properties of bulk poly(trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate) [poly(TRIM)]. The bulk poly(TRIM) networks were obtained by mixing trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate with 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 mass% of diesters and polymerized in the presence of 1.5 mass% of benzoyl peroxide in the temperature range from 50 to 80 °C. Generally, bulk poly(TRIM) modified with esters derivatives of 3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol was characterized by lower stiffness, lower glass transition temperature, lower thermal stability, lower hardness and heat deflection temperature values, and higher tensile strength and percentage elongation, especially for compositions containing higher diester content as compared to pure, bulk poly(TRIM).