Advances in Internal Plasticization of PVC: Copper-Mediated Atom-Transfer Radical Polymerization from PVC Defect Sites To Form Acrylate Graft Copolymers

Abstract Internally plasticized PVC copolymers were prepared by grafting with butyl acrylate and 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl atom-transfer radical polymerization, resulting in well-behaved polymers a wide range of glass transition temperatures (–54 °C to 54 °C). When the grafted side chains made up more than 50% polymer weight, below 0 °C. The covalent attachment plasticizing grafts requires one simple procedure starting from commercial PVC, making this strategy an industrially relevant environmentally friendly alternative use conventional small-molecule plasticizers.