Thermoplastic block copolymer: α-MethylStyrene and vinyl acetate catalyzed by clay layered called Maghnite-Na⁺ (Algerian MMT)

Thermoplastic block copolymers of poly (α-methylstyrene-b-vinyl acetate), A new material was prepared by using of a natural algerian montmorillonite clay called maghnite-Na⁺ as catalyst, in order to respect the principles of a green chemistry. Thermoplastic polymers are generally inexpensive and well known to the general public: poly (α-methylstyrene), poly (vinyl acetate), they represent the majority of plastics we use. The plastics industry remains to this day a sector of activity in full economic growth. The thermoplastic block copolymer of α-methylstyrene (α-MS) and vinyl acetate (VAc) is improved by the addition of small amounts of vinyl acetate to poly α-methystyrene according to cationic copolymerization reaction. This reaction is carried under suitable conditions, out in bulk at 0 °C for 48 h. The block copolymer (α-MethylStyrene-b-Vinyl Acetate) has been successfully prepared and characterized by various techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR), fourier transform IR spectrometers (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to elucidate structural characteristics and thermal properties of the resulting copolymer. The effects of the amount of maghnite-Na⁺ and α-MS on yield of copolymers were studied. The copolymerization yield increased as the proportions of catalyst and α-MS were increased. Finally, a mechanism for the reaction was proposed.