Abstract
Imidization reactions onto PMMA copolymers were performed in the presence of primary amines. This study allowed establishing a correlation between the functional group of the primary amine and the reactivity of the primary amine toward ester groups of PMMA. This correlation was allowed by using model PMMA/PMAA copolymers, i.e., obtained using a chain transfer agent by radical polymerization. According to the suggested mechanism of PMMA imidization, methylamine afforded higher content of glutarimide groups, hence leading to high Tg values of about 160C. The use of bulky groups for the primary amine instead, i.e., cyclohexyl, decreased the content of glutarimide function. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed a high thermostability of imidized PMMA with a starting degradation temperature of about 400C, also dependant of the amine functional group.