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Critical Evaluation of the Microwave Effect on Radical (Co)Polymerizations
Author(s) -
Kwak Yungwan,
Mathers Robert T.,
Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201100618
Subject(s) - methyl methacrylate , microwave , copolymer , styrene , polymer chemistry , materials science , decomposition , polymerization , lower critical solution temperature , microwave heating , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , physics , polymer , organic chemistry , composite material , quantum mechanics
Critical evaluations of the microwave effect on initiation, propagation, and termination during conventional radical polymerizations (RPs) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and random copolymerization of styrene (St) with (meth)acrylates are examined by comparing microwave heating (MWH) and conventional heating (CH). Poly(methyl methacrylate) with similar $ \overline M_{\rm n} $ , $ \overline M_{\rm w} $ / $ \overline M_{\rm n} $ , and conversion are obtained under precisely controlled temperature, indicating very small changes of propagation rate constant. Rate enhancement in the absence of precise temperature control is mostly due to the higher reaction temperature of the reaction mixture than the apparent value indicated on display. Rates of initiator decomposition under well‐controlled temperature are essentially the same for MWH and CH.