Ring-opening polymerization of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane catalyzed by multi-metal cyanide catalyst

Ring-opening polymerizations of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) were carried out by using multi-metal cyanide (MMC) catalyst and the synthesized homopolymer was a comb-shaped polymer with regular structure. The structure of the polymer obtained (P-GPTMS) was characterized by FTIR, ¹H-NMR, and ²⁹Si-NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular weight and its distribution were analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography with multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS). The thermal behavior of P-GPTMS was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). P-GPTMS with high molecular weight (M _n = 18,000–80,000) and narrow molecular weight distribution (1.10–1.35) were synthesized when the dosage of MMC catalyst was 0.1% and polymerization temperature was 130 °C. The molecular weight of the product could be adjusted by controlling the polymerization time. The T _g of P-GPTMS is in the range of −34 to −30 °C. On the basis of the TGA data, the decomposition rate of P-GPTMS reached its peak at 374.14 °C and the entire decomposition stopped at 600 °C.