Effect of hydrolysis on the strength of hydrogen bonds and Tg of poly(vinylphenol-co-acetoxystyrene)

A series of poly(vinylphenol-co-acetoxystyrene) (PVPh-co-PAS) copolymers were prepared by partial hydrolyses of poly(acetoxystyrene) (PAS) in acidic and basic solutions. Higher glass transition temperature, higher fraction of hydrogen-bonded carbonyl group, and higher interassociation equilibrium constant were observed for copolymers with same composition prepared from the acidic hydrolysis than from the basic hydrolysis because the sequence distribution of the former is relatively more random than the latter. Infrared spectra provide positive evidence in terms of sequence distribution, glass transition temperature, and hydrogen-bonding strength in poly(vinylphenol-co-acetoxystyrene) by prepared these two hydrolysis methods.