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Development and Modeling of a Continuous Dispersion Copolymerization Process in the Presence of a Stabilizing Agent Elaborated in situ
Author(s) -
Pla Fernand,
Fonteix Christian,
Hoppe Sandrine,
Schrauwen Cornelius,
Van der Wal Hanno,
Van Damme Freddy
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200751307
Subject(s) - copolymer , process (computing) , acrylonitrile , transfer agent , monomer , dispersion (optics) , materials science , molar mass , styrene , work (physics) , chain transfer , polymerization , polymer chemistry , thermodynamics , chemical engineering , radical polymerization , polymer , computer science , composite material , physics , engineering , operating system , optics
Summary: This work deals with the development of a process for the radical copolymerization of acrylonitrile and styrene in a dispersed medium. This process was carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor, in the presence of a stabilizing agent produced in situ during the polymerization. The continuous phase is a polyol. Besides all elementary chemical mechanisms related to the copolymerization and to the synthesis and grafting of the stabilizing agent, this process involves several complex physical phenomena. A tendency model of the whole process was developed, using the corresponding mass balances and thermodynamics. Its unknown parameters were identified by use of an evolutionary algorithm and experimental data resulting from an adapted experimental strategy. This model was then validated and allowed to predict monomers and transfer agent conversions, amounts of solids and average molar masses, versus the operating conditions.