Effect of the different chain transfer agents on molecular weight and optical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 70; pp. 25 - 30
• Main Authors: Çetinkaya, Onur, Demirci, Gökhan, Mergo, Paweł
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2017
• Subjects: Bulk polymerization; Chain transfer agent; Methyl methacrylate; Molecular weight; Optical polymers; Transmission; Chain transfer agent; Bulk polymerization; Methyl methacrylate; Molecular weight; Transmission; Optical polymers
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2017.05.009

Investigation of molecular weight and optical properties of poly(methyl metacrylate) (PMMA) polymerized in house with different chain transfer agents was studied. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), n-butyl mercaptan (nBMC) and pentamethyl disilane (PMDS) were used as chain transfer agents. The molecular weight (Mw) of PMMA samples were measured by Ostwald viscometer. Mw of bulk polymer samples were decreased with increase the concentration of chain transfer agents (CTA). Since reactivity of used CTAs is not same, molecular weights of samples which were produced with different type of CTA but same concentration of CTA was varied. Higher concentration of n-BMC showed higher scattering. Transmission of samples could not be correlated with different concentration of CTA. Refractive index of samples was not affected by concentration of CTA nevertheless higher molecular weight of CTA showed higher refractive index. •Different types of chain transfer agent were compared for the first time.•PMMA samples fabricated by PMDS has the best optical properties in this study.•Quality of fabricated polymer samples is sufficient for optical fibre technology.