ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Effect of hydroquinone on the kinetics of emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate

I. Capek

Polymer Institute, Centre for Chemical Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, CS-84236 Bratislava

Abstract: The mechanism of free radical emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate initiated by ammonium peroxodisulfate at 70 °C in the presence of a small amount of hydroquínone has been studied. Over the stationary state the rate of polymerization decreases with increasing the hydroquínone concentration. The rate of polymerization is proportional to the emulsifier concentration (without hydroquínone) but in the presence of hydroquínone it decreases with increasing emulsifier concentration and the number of particles is proportional to the first power of the emulsifier concentration. The inhibition efficiency decreases with increasing hydroquinone concentration. Hydroquinone aha products from its interaction with initiator, oxygen and quinone to some extent participate also in complex way in some other reactions which may lead to both partial regeneration and deactivation of inhibitor. The radical scavenger was found to decrease the average particle size. This was discussed in terms of the suppression of polymerization within the large emulsified monomer droplets.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 434a527.pdf

Chemical Papers 43 (4) 527–535 (1989)