Synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(dimethyl siloxane) graft copolymers via a miniemulsion process

In this article, we describe the synthesis of a PMMA-g-PDMS graft copolymer via a miniemulsion process. A highly hydrophobic PDMS macromonomer was copolymerized in the presence of MMA. Latex particles were obtained with a high yield and a complete incorporation of the macromonomer by using AIBN as initiator, SDS as a surfactant and a PMMA-b-PEO block copolymer as a cosurfactant, with a,given amount of methanol in order to reduce the interfacial tension. The characterization of the resulting latex by H-1 NMR and QELS evidenced the interest of such a process in order to copolymerize monomers with very different solubilities and to obtain directly a graft copolymer in aqueous dispersion.