Thermosetting vinyl and acrylic copolymers

Abstract

Infrared spectra indicate that carboxyl‐substituted acrylic copolymers react appreci8bly with a butylated melamine–formaldehyde resin when heated at 120°C. for 30 min., but under these conditions acid catalysis is needed before epoxy‐ or amido‐substituted copolymers will crosslink with the melamine–formaldehyde resin. Two methods have been used to synthesize hydroxyl‐substituted acrylic copolymers. First, a glycidyl methacrylate copolymer was reacted with diethplamine. Second, an acrylic acid copolymer was heated under reflux with butylene oxide in the presence of a basic catalyst. This second method was used to esterify a vinyl toluene–acrylic acid–acrylamide copolymer which was subsequentl..