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High‐temperature continuous bulk copolymerization of styrene and acrylic acid: Thermal behavior of the reactants
Author(s) -
Spychaj Tadeusz,
Hamielec Archie E.
Publication year - 1991
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.1991.070420801
Subject(s) - copolymer , polymer , polymer chemistry , materials science , acrylic acid , styrene , polymerization , monomer , chemical engineering , chain transfer , thermal , work (physics) , radical polymerization , thermodynamics , composite material , physics , engineering
The behavior of the monomers: styrene (St) and acrylic acid (AA) during the process of thermally initiated bulk copolymerization realized in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is discussed in this work, on the basis of results obtained from experimental work carried out by the authors and data available from literature. GPC, GC, IR, and NMR techniques were used to examine the volatile oligomers released from the raw St–AA polymers. The mechanism of the thermal initiation of polymerization in the system under investigation is also discussed. Polymer degradation reactions in the vicinity of the ceiling temperature T c , chain transfer reactions, and secondary reactions of carboxylic groups in high temperatures have also been considered. The behavior of the St–AA polymers during derivatographic tests in the temperature range: ambient−400°C, conducted in atmospheric air, was also evaluated. Experimental conditions, in which deep destruction of the product during the copolymerization process could be avoided, were established.Knowledge of these conditions is important from a practical point of view.