Ultrahigh molecular weight branched polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate was synthesised at room temperature

The branched poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)(BPHEMA) was carried out using 2-methyl-n-[3-(methyl phenyl amino)-propyl]–acrylamide(MPAEMA, synthesised in laboratory) and benzoyl peroxide(BPO) as redox initiator by water/toluene inverse emulsion polymerisation. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw.MALLS), mean-square radius of gyration(Rg), intrinsic viscosity([η]), relative branching factor g and g’, and micro rheological properties of BPHEMA were measured by static and dynamic light scattering(DLS-SLS) and Ubbelohde viscometer. The results show that the BPHEMA was synthesised by inverse emulsion polymerisation at room temperature. The degree of branching increased with the increase of the content of reducing agent MPAEMA in the feed ratio, and the molecular weight was not affected significantly by the change of feed ratio. However, the molecular weight of linear poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (LPHEMA) was significantly affected by the change of feed ratio.