Influence of conditions for preparing butyl acrylate–vinyl butyl ether copolymers using the compensation procedure on their molecular-mass parameters and thickening power in dioctyl sebacate

Abstract

New butyl acrylate–vinyl n-butyl ether copolymers were synthesized using initiating systems trialkylborane–oxygen, trialkylborane–di-tert-butylperoxytriphenylantimony, and azobis(isobutyronitrile) with compensation dosing of the active monomer. The kind of the initiator does not influence the composition and structure of the copolymers, according to the data of IR and ¹³С NMR spectroscopy, but influences their molecular-mass parameters, according to the data of gel permeation chromatography. The new copolymers dissolved in dioctyl sebacate (synthetic base of lubricating oils) well compete with related imported thickening additives in the thickening effect at temperatures from–40 to 100°С and in the resistance to mechanical degradation. Simple ways to control in the synthesis step the thickening effect of the polymers are suggested.