One-Pot Synthesis of Three-Phase Blends for PMMA Toughening via a Dual Functional Initiator
발표자
안종욱 (부산대학교)
연구책임자
백현종 (부산대학교)
공동저자
안종욱 (부산대학교), 백현종 (부산대학교), 이승현 (부산대학교)
초록
내용
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a widely used stiff thermoplastic, yet its applications are often restricted by inherent brittleness. In contrast to traditional multi-step toughening strategies such as acrylic modifiers or pre-synthesizing copolymers, we report a facile one-pot approach to fabricate a three-phase blend comprising PMMA, poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA), and in situ formed PMMA-b-PBA. This was achieved using a dual-functional initiator bearing azo and perester groups, enabling sequential thermal free-radical polymerization in a single reactor. Selective solvent extraction confirmed block copolymer formation and its role as an interfacial compatibilizer. The blend exhibited enhanced mechanical performance over neat PMMA, including a 3.65-fold increase in toughness and a 2.5-fold increase in elongation at break. Cryo-fracture SEM revealed well-dispersed spherical voids of ~200 nm (derived from cavitated PBA-rich domains), indicating improved interfacial adhesion and energy dissipation.