Poly(styrene-ran-cinnamic acid) (SCA), an approach to modified polystyrene with enhanced impact toughness, heat resistance and melt strength. Issue 68 (2nd December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Jie; Yu, Zixin; Li, Peihua; Ding, Dachuan; Zheng, Xuan; Hu, Chuanqun; Hu, Tao; Gong, Xinghou; Chang, Ying; Wu, Chonggang
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 9:Issue 68(2019)
• Page Start: 39631
• Page End: 39639
• Publication Date: 2019-12-02
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ra08635h
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : Carboxyl-bearing cinnamic-acid copolymerised polystyrene exhibits enhanced impact toughness, heat resistance and melt strength due to its reversible hydrogen bond cross-linking. Abstract : A poly(styrene- ran -cinnamic acid) (SCA) containing 6.8 mol% of CA, with a M̄ w (∼217 000) comparable to commercial polystyrene (PS), was successfully synthesised via emulsion free-radical copolymerisation as evidenced by 1744 and 1703 cm −1 infrared peak occurrences, respectively characteristic of free and dimeric carboxyl CO stretches. Upon the interchain hydrogen bond cross-linking by CA, the impact toughness of the SCA was considerably improved by 47.2% against PS, the glass transition, heat deflection and Vicat softening temperatures were significantly enhanced until 117.0, 108.0 and 118.3 °C, respectively, compared with PS (95.2, 87.6 and 96.0 °C), while the extensional viscosities were near one order-of-magnitude higher than PS by which the temperature window required for appropriate melt-strengths would be greatly broadened. Meanwhile, the SCA displayed other properties basically analogous to PS. This work presents a modified PS, SCA, with enhanced toughness, heat resistance and melt strength that potentially extend its styrofoam and commodity applications.