IOSR Journal of Applied Chemistry (IOSRJAC) ISSN : 2278-5736 Volume 1, Issue 1 (May-June 2012), PP 36-42 www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 36 | Page Studies on Specific and Hydrogen Bonding Interaction of Poly (Ethylene Glycol) with 2-Ethoxy Ethylmethacrylate Copolymer Blends Manju M* 1 , Veeraiah M.K 2 , Hemalatha P 3 , Prasannakumar S 4 1 Department of Chemistry, Sri Krishna Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India. 2,3 Department of Chemistry, Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology, Tumkur, India. 4 Suntech Paints, Yeshwanthpur, India. ABSTRACT: The studies on the effect of polymer-polymer interactions of Poly(Ethylene Glycol) [PEG] with Methyl Methacrylate and 2-Ethoxy Ethylmethacrylate(MMA/2-EOEMA) copolymer blends showed miscibility, compatibility and specific interaction due to hydrogen bond formation between hydroxyl group from PEG and ether, ester carbonyl oxygen atom from 2-EOEMA and MMA. The studies were carried out at various blend compositions with chloroform as common solvent using viscometric, FT-IR and DSC thermal analysis methods. From viscosity data based on sign convention involved in the criterion, the values of μ and α for PEG with MMA/2-EOEMA copolymer blends system was computed and found to be partially positive indicating it is partially miscible and compatible for all blends composition. The compatibility and miscibility of the blends were also supported by density measurement. The properties of specific and hydrogen bonding interactions of PEG with MMA/2-EOEMA copolymer blends are studied by spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR and the obtained results were further confirmed by DSC thermal analysis. Spectral features from above all techniques revealed that site-specific interactions are present, consistent with a significant degree of mixing of the blend components which probes mixing on a macroscopic level, which in turn imparts the miscibility to these blends. Keywords: Blend miscibility, Compatibility, MMA/EOEMA Copolymer, PEG, Specific Interactions I. INTRODUCTION The term “polymer blend” refers to physical mixing of two or more polymers. Blending offers an attractive alternative to create new materials rather than developing totally new polymers. Many polymer producers are developing new blended products, because this strategy is usually cheaper, less time-consuming to get a product into the market and without the exorbitant cost of capital investment into a new plant [1, 2]. The resulting blends system often exhibits properties that are superior to any one of the component polymers [3, 4]. The basis of polymer-polymer miscibility may arise from any specific interaction such as hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole forces and charge transfer complexes for homo-polymer mixtures. There have been various techniques of studying the polymer-polymer miscibility [5, 6]. The viscometric method for the study of polymer – polymer miscibility has been suggested [7]. The variations of viscosity with blend compositions were linear for miscible blends and non-linear for immiscible blends [8, 9]. FTIR techniques are used to determine the miscibility of polymers [10, 11]. The acrylic monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA; CH 2 =C(CH 3 )COOCH 3 ) monomer has been copolymerized with various acrylate monomers to improve their properties. MMA and acrylate based copolymers are extensively studied by many authors due to their versatile use in biomedical applications as membranes for ultra filtration / drug delivery, contact lenses and anticoagulant films [12]. Another alkene monomer, 2-Ethoxyethyl methacrylate (2-EOEMA); H 2 C=C(CH 3 )CO 2 CH 2 CH 2 OC 2 H 5 is a dual functional group monomer, which has both ether and ester groups as compared to most of the vinyl acrylic monomers; these groups not only impart flexibility into the polymer, but also improve its process ability and handling [13] and improve compatibility in blends due to hydrogen bonding [14]. Because of its soft and flexible nature, 2-EOEMA based copolymers and terpolymers could be a better candidate as surfactant [15]. MMA/EOEMA copolymers are synthesized and characterized [16]. The reactivity ratios determined by two standard methods using IR data are in good agreement with each other. Poly (ethylene glycol) is a white, free flowing powder for creamy white flakes and is used as water- soluble lubricant for rubber moulds, textile fibers, and metal forming operations [17,18]. It is also used in water paints, paper coatings, polishes and in the ceramic industry, as well as for chromatographic stationary phases. Moreover, PEG has been considered as a promising Phase Change Materials(PCMs) for solar latent-heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) applications because of its relatively high latent heat of fusion, congruent melting and freezing behavior, suitable melting temperature range, non-corrosiveness, non-toxicity, and non- decomposition at its melting/freezing temperature range [19, 20].