Influence of molecular weight and tacticity on thermal stabilities of hydroquinone promoted CT polymerization of styrene and alkylmethacrylates

Thermal stabilities of copolymers of styrene and alkylmethacrylates synthesized by using hydroquinone (HQ) as promoter show an increase with increase in styrene content while the glass transition temperature decreases. The thermal stabilities are compared with analogue polymers synthesized with and without HQ. Though there is a drastic improvement in thermal stabilities of Sty–MMA copolymerization system, Sty–EMA and Sty–BMA systems did not exhibit enhanced thermal stabilities. It has been found that the decrease in molecular weight and polydispersity values as well as increased orderliness of structure in polymers are responsible for enhanced thermal stabilities.