Radiation induced polymerization of MMA in imidazolium ionic liquids and their mixed solutions with organic solvents

Considerably higher molecular weight (Mw) and multi-modal molecular weight distribution (MWD) of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were observed in neat ionic liquids ([bmim][PF6] and [bmim][BF4]), as well as their mixed solutions with organic solvents, probably due to the high viscosity and inhomogeneity of ionic liquids. FTIR spectra for PMMA showed that a slight amount of ionic liquid remained in the resulting polymer, and DSC measurement indicated the increase of glass transition point of PMMA with increasing of ionic liquid fraction in mixed solutions.