Evaluation of the adamantyl effect on vinyl polymer T_g

Incorporation of adamantane as a pendant group increases the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the parent polymer significantly for both condensation polymers and vinyl polymers. although it is intuitive that large pendant groups tend to have such an effect due to the reduced chain mobility, the magnitude of increase is surprisingly high for adamantane. The effects of adamantane substitution on physical, thermal and mechanical properties of a variety of polymer families ranging from acrylates to phenolics are analyzed. Methacrylate esters with different spacers varying in length and rigidity, phenyl and methyl, between the adamantane and the backbone are analyzed. Homopolymers and copolymers of both monomers with styrene are synthesized.