Synthesis and characterization of statistical copolymers of styrene and 4-(1-hydroxyalkyl)styrene

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science 2004-05, Vol.92 (3), p.1902-1914
• Main Authors: Nasrullah, J. Mohammed, Dhamodharan, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; functionalization of polymers; lithography; photoresists; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer industry, paints, wood; polymer modification; synthesis; Technology of polymers
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.20180

A family of new polymers based on poly(4‐(1‐hydroxyalkyl)styrene), and its copolymers with styrene were synthesized and thoroughly characterized by 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, FTIR, and UV spectroscopies. The chemical modification reactions of polystyrene (PS) was used as a novel method of performing the synthesis of poly(4‐(1‐hydroxyethyl‐co‐styrene)), poly(4‐(1‐hydroxypropyl‐co‐styrene)), poly(4‐(1‐hydroxybutyl‐co‐styrene)), and poly(4‐(1‐hydroxyphenylmethyl‐co‐styrene)). The novelty of this method lies in the incorporation of the desired mol % of the functional groups in polystyrene chain, to obtain random copolymers of desired composition. In preliminary testing/evaluation studies the utility and versatility of the new copolymers, which have the potential to be negative‐tone photoresist materials, were studied. Thus a few photoresist formulations based on poly(styrene‐co‐4‐(1‐hydroxyalkylstyrene)) were developed with 5 wt % of a photoacid generator. These studies suggested that the new copolymers synthesized by a simple and alternate method could have the same potential as a photoresist material when compared with the polymers synthesized by the polymerization of the corresponding functional monomer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 1902–1914, 2004