Allyl Alcohol- and Allyl Alkoxylate-Based Polymers

Allyl alcohol and allyl alkoxylate are incorporated into a variety of polymers to provide the pendant hydroxyl group for crosslinking reaction. The polymers are prepared by a bulk free radical polymerization process in which the allyl monomer is charged into the reactor before the polymerization starts, and the vinyl comonomers and the initiator are gradually fed into the reactor at the polymerization temperature. The polymers are oligomers of molecular weight in a range of 500 to 10,000. The hydroxyl functional polymers derived from allylic alcohols are useful materials in coatings, adhesives, elastomers, and may other thermoset polymers. This article reviews the chemistry and uses of allylic monomers. The free radical polymerization of allylic monomers is described in detail. Several examples of commercially usefull resins prepared from allylic monomers are provided.