Properties of butyl acrylate polymers synthesized by radiation and miniemulsion polymerization techniques as flexible coating for packaging materials

A soft‐segment homopolymer of the monomer butyl acrylate was synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization to study the unique properties of poly(n‐butyl acrylate) [P(nBuA)] as flexible coating. The nanostructure and linear properties of P(nBuA) synthesized using radiation and radical polymerization techniques were investigated. The molar mass and particle size of the prepared P(nBuA) polymers were characterized using size‐exclusion chromatography and a particle‐size analyzer, respectively. Photo‐initiation of P(nBuA) was induced by 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone in the presence of the crosslinkers polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), bisphenol A ethoxylated diacrylate (BPAEDA), or trimethylpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), followed by crosslinking by ionizing radiation. The dynamic mechanical analysis parameters—tangent delta, storage modulus, and loss modulus—were determined for the three prepared crosslinked polymers of P(nBuA) and showed that P(nBuA‐BPAEDA), P(nBuA‐PEGDA), and P(nBuA‐TMPTA) are strong and flexible materials. Thermal gravimetric analysis was used to study the thermal behavior of the prepared elastic P(nBuA) polymers. Thermal gravimetric data revealed that the crosslinkers improved the thermal stability of P(nBuA). The favorable properties of the synthesized polymers indicate their potential to be used as flexible nanocoatings for packaging materials.