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Acceleration of chemical reaction in boiling polymer solutions
Author(s) -
Chen L.,
Hu G. H.,
Lindt J. T.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690390414
Subject(s) - boiling , chemistry , reaction rate , inert , solvent , catalysis , bubble , diffusion , mass transfer , chemical engineering , vinyl acetate , reactivity (psychology) , chemical reaction , ethylene , polymer , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , polymer chemistry , copolymer , chromatography , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , parallel computing , computer science , engineering
This article discusses the effect of boiling inert hydrocarbon solvent on the model second‐order transesterification reaction of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer with 3‐phenyl 1‐propanol. In the presence of boiling, the overall reaction rate increases substantially due to mass‐transfer effects in the proximity of the vapor‐liquid interface. The present experiments and theory indicate that during the lifetime of a bubble in the boiling medium, the concentrations of reactants and the catalyst increase significantly near the bubble surface due to the rapid diffusion of the inert solvent. After the bubble rupture, the concentration differences persist and continue affecting the chemical reaction rate. The combination of these effects is responsible for the apparent increase in the overall reactivity.