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

Emulsion copolymerization of acrylonitrile and butyl acrylate. 6. Effect of free-radical desorption on the polymerization process

I. Capek

Polymer Institute, Centre for Chemical Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, CS-842 36 Bratislava

Abstract: This paper shows that the Smith—Ewart kinetic model developed so far for emulsion polymerization of water-insoluble monomer is applicable to the prediction of the average number of radicals per particle. The classical model is not applicable for emulsion copolymerization of monomers highly soluble in water to the prediction of kinetic parameters. It is reported that the radical desorption is governed by the chain transfer step and the copoly­merization process is significantly influenced by the desorption of oligomer radicals. The equilibrium monomer concentration within monomer swollen po­lymer particles is constant and independent of the emulsifier concentration and increases with increasing acrylonitrile content in the monomer feed. The average number of radicals per particle is estimated to increase with decreasing emulsifier concentration and butyl acrylate content in the feed. In the presence of a radical scavenger low values of both the radical con­centration and the average number of radicals per particle are estimated.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 416a815.pdf

Chemical Papers 41 (6) 815–825 (1987)