Synthesis and Characterization of Sec-Packings Based on Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate

Doctoral thesis, 1992

Suspension and bulk polymerization of trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) and copolymerization of TRIM with methyl methacrylate (MMA) resulted in porous, hydrophobic, and chemically crosslinked networks. Copolymerization of TRIM with acrylamide (AA) and with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (bis-AA) resulted in hydrophilic gels. The mechanical stability and the porosity of the gels were studied. The resulting polymers were studied by scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction, bed density and swelling measurements, mercury porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, high resolution solid state 13C FT-NMR (CP-MAS-DD), mechanical testing by compression and by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The pore size distributions of the dry gels were studied by mercury porosimetry and by nitrogen desorption measurements. The porosity of the swollen gels was studied by SEC. A procedure for calculation of the pore size distribution of the swollen gels was performed. An assumptive correlation showed good agreement between the porosities in the dry and swollen state. Poly(TRIM) and poly(TRIM-co-MMA) showed good SEC-separation properties of polystyrene standards in toluene. Poly(TRIM-co-bis-AA) gels were suitable for separation of saccharide molecules and polysaccharide standards in distilled water.