Graft Polymers with Preset Molecular Configurations
Abstract The concept of “tailor-made” macromolecules when applied to graft polymers implies an effective correlation between the chemical and physical properties of the component parts and the technological properties of the resultant whole. Earlier experiments have indicated that, for a given graft macromolecule of natural rubber and polymethyl methacrylate, one extreme physical configuration could readily be effected in solution, viz., with the rubber trunk chains collapsed and the methyl methacrylate side chains extended. The complementary configuration—rubber chains extended and the methyl methacrylate chains collapsed—seemed equally easy of achievement. If these configurations could be carried through to the solid state then comparison of the properties of the dry rubbers would provide one such correlation between established physical configurations and resultant technological properties. The evidence for these definite configurations is briefly described below followed by preparative methods for bulk quantities of the dry rubbers and the evaluation of their technological properties.