Premium
Emulsion polymerisation of MMA employing a chain transfer agent of low environmental impact: ISO ‐octyl‐3‐mercaptopropionate
Author(s) -
Ronco Ludmila I.,
Minari Roque J.,
Cian Lorena,
Vega Jorge R.,
Gugliotta Luis M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.21777
Subject(s) - methyl methacrylate , chain transfer , transfer agent , emulsion polymerization , reactivity (psychology) , radical , emulsion , polymerization , polymer chemistry , chemistry , kinetics , radical polymerization , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , polymer , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , engineering
The unseeded batch‐emulsion polymerisation of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated using the chain transfer agent iso ‐octyl‐3‐mercaptopropionate ( i OMP), which exhibits a low environmental impact. The commercial i OMP is a mixture of over 10 isomers that proved adequate to control the molecular weights of poly(methyl methacrylate) with a decreasing evolution of both the number‐ and weight‐average molecular weights along the reactions. The i OMP also affects the polymerisation kinetics as a consequence of the lower reactivity of the i OMP radicals with respect to the MMA‐ended radicals. Experimental results were interpreted with the help of a first principles mathematical model. © 2013 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering