Determination of solubility parameters of cross-linked macromonomeric initiators based on polypropylene glycol

A new type macromonomeric azo initiators also named macroinimers, MIMs, based on polypropylene glycol, PPG, with molecular weight 400 and 2000, were synthesized. Self-condensing radical polymerization of the macroinimers gave cross-linked polypropylene glycols. The solubility parameters of the cross-linked polymers determined using swelling experiments in a series of solvents have been reported. Crosss-linked PPG-400 and cross-linked PPG-2000 indicated the same solubility parameter value. But their swelling ratios were different because of the differences of the chain lengths in between of the cross-points (Mc) of the gels. Therefore, while the largest swelling ratio exhibited by a cross-linked PPG-2000 in tetrahydrofurane was being 19.48, this ratio was 6.84 for the cross-linked PPG-400 in the same solvent. The solubility parameters and constant α for these cross-linked polymers were obtained as δcross-linked PPG-400 = 9.56 (cal cm−3)1/2, α = 0.123 cm3 cal−1 and δcross-linked PPG-2000 = 8.95 (cal cm−3)1/2, α = 0.107 cm3 cal−1 by using the least squares regression method.