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Contribution of Raman Spectroscopy to In Situ Monitoring of a High‐Impact Polystyrene Process
Author(s) -
Brun Nadège,
Chevrel MarieClaire,
Falk Laurent,
Hoppe Sandrine,
Durand Alain,
Chapron David,
Bourson Patrice
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201300421
Subject(s) - raman spectroscopy , polystyrene , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , styrene , in situ , chemistry , optics , polymer , composite material , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry , copolymer
A high‐impact polystyrene (HIPS) process has been studied using Raman spectroscopy as a monitoring technique for the first time. Thermal polymerization of styrene was carried out in the presence of polybutadiene. A Raman probe with a short focal distance, immersed into the reaction medium, allowed in situ monitoring of styrene consumption over the whole reaction progress. A Raman probe with a long focal distance set outside the glass reactor was applied to detect phase separation and phase inversion. Finally, coupling Raman spectroscopy and flow rheometry into a single experimental setup allowed in situ monitoring of both phase behavior and viscosity variation during the HIPS process. Results obtained from Raman spectroscopy were correlated to those from laser granulometry and gravimetric analysis.