Poly (Methyl Methacrylate-co-Maleic Anhydride-co-N-Isopropylacrylamide): Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity

In this study, terpolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA), maleic anhydride (MA) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPA) were synthesized with different reaction times using 1,4-dioxane as a solvent and 2,2-Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator at 65 °C. Terpolymers of different molecular weight having different reaction times were prepared. By employing various reaction times, MMA-MA-NIPA terpolymers with molecular weights ranging between 49 480 and 60 302 were obtained. The terpolymers were characterized by FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy, viscosity measurement, solubility testing. Terpolymer composition was determined with 1H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Thermal properties were investigated by using TGA, DTA and DSC. It was observed that glass transition temperature (Tg) of terpolymers decreased with increasing of MMA and MA contents in terpolymers. The molecular weight and polydispersity index were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). These anhydride-containing polymers differ significantly from other water-soluble polymer systems because their solution process is accompanied by spontaneous hydrolysis of anhydride linkages with the formation of strong hydrogen-bonded carboxylic fragments in the side chains of the macromolecules. The terpolymers were tested for their antimicrobial properties against selected pathogen bacteria and it was observed that depending on the carboxylic, methacrylate and acrylamide content of the polymers the antimicrobial activities differ