A series
of copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with linear vinyl esters
(LVEs), including vinyl acetate (VA), vinyl propionate (VP), vinyl
hexanoate (VH), and vinyl decanoate (VD), were synthesized by free
radical copolymerizations at 60 °C. The LVE composition was varied
from 3 to 41 mol % in the resultant copolymers. The glass transition
(T
g) of the copolymers ranged from 60
to 108 °C. The storage moduli (E′) of
the copolymers decreased as the LVE composition increased from 4 ×
109 to 1.5 × 109 Pa. Copolymers containing
VD exhibited a more obvious reduction in storage moduli and a larger
shift of the tan δ peak. The rheological property analysis
of the copolymers at different temperatures showed that the shear
storage and loss moduli of poly(LVE-co-MMA) (G′ and G″) were mostly dominated
by MWs. Short side chains did not have an obvious impact on the shear
moduli and complex viscosities.