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Kinetics and mechanism of emulsion copolymerization. IV. Kinetic modeling of emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate
Author(s) -
Nomura Mamoru,
Horie Ichiro,
Kubo Masayuki,
Fujita Kazumi
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1989.070370416
Subject(s) - copolymer , potassium persulfate , methyl methacrylate , styrene , polymer chemistry , nucleation , monomer , emulsion polymerization , kinetics , emulsion , materials science , kinetic energy , chemistry , chemical engineering , polymer , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Based on the micellar nucleation theory, a mathematical kinetic model for an unseeded emulsion copolymerization system is developed, where the radicals with and without electric charge are discriminated from each other in view of the role in the particle nucleation process. In order to demonstrate the validity and utility of this kinetic model, the experiments of the unseeded emulsion copolymerization of styrene (ST) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) are carried out varying the initial initiator (potassium persulfate) and emulsifier (sodium lauryl sulfate) concentrations and the monomer composition in the initial monomer feed, and various kinetic features observed are compared with the model predictions. It is concluded from this comparison that in this system, almost all the polymer particles are generated by the charged radicals stemming from the initiator, and further that this mathematical kinetic model can provide a satisfactory explanation of the various kinetic features observed.