Abstract
A linear polymer was synthesized by suspension polymerization using butyl methacrylate (BMA) monomer and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) initiator. The resulting PBMA was interpenetrated into PHEMA crosslinking networks in N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), using HEMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) as monomer, divinylbenzene (DVB) as crosslinking agent. After the reaction terminated, the mixed solution was made into sandwich oil-absorptive materials. The influence of the crosslinking agent and the mass ratio of PBMA and HEMA on the semi-interpenetrating (semi-IPN) structure and properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMA), while swelling behaviour and gel fraction were also researched. Crosslinking density measurements were also carried out and calculated by Flory-Rehner theory. The results showed that with an increase of DVB, the semi-IPN exhibited a higher gel fraction. The glass temperature (Tg) was evaluated by DMA. Oil-absorptive properties were tested according to ASTM (F726-81). The highest oil absorptivity of sandwich oil-absorptive materials was 15.5 g/g to 10% crude oil diluted with toluene when the DVB content was 2%wt. (based on HEMA monomer weight) with PBMA/HEMA (70/30 by weight).