Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Comb-Like Maleimide Copolymers Containing Polymethylene and Poly(Ethylene Oxide) Side Chains as the N-Substituents.

The radical copolymerization of N-substituted maleimides containing polymethylene and poly(ethylene oxide) side chains as the N-substituent groups with isobutene, styrene, and α-methylstyrene as the electron-donating monomers is carried out in order to investigate the structure and thermal properties of the resulting comb-like copolymers. The obtained copolymers show excellent thermal stability and their glass transition temperatures vary depending on the chain length of the introduced N-substituents. The main- and side-chain motions of the copolymers are investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis at various frequencies over the temperature range of −150 to 100 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]