Determination of halogen in copolymers by dye-partition technique and calculation of r₁ therefrom

Abstract

Halogen-bearing polymers have been prepared by copolymerization of monomers (M₁) such as styrene, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, and vinyl acetate with traces of chlorine-bearing monomers (M₂) such as allyl chloride and tetrachloroethylene at varying M₁:M₂ ratios in the 100:1 composition range. The halogen atoms in the copolymers were transformed to quaternary pyridinium halide groups by quaternization with pyridine. The copolymer compositions and the monomer reactivity ratio r₁ were determined by the estimation of the quaternary halide groups in the copolymers by the dye-partition technique, with aqueous disulfine blue VN150 in 0.01M hydrochloric acid as the dye reagent.