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A Detailed Polymerization Model for Cerenol® Polyols
Author(s) -
Mueller Philipp A.,
Murphy Edward R.,
Rajagopalan Bhuma,
Congalidis John P.,
Minter Aaron R.
Publication year - 2011
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.201000075
Subject(s) - sulfuric acid , polymerization , triflic acid , sulfonic acid , monomer , catalysis , polymer , chemistry , chain transfer , molar mass distribution , polymer chemistry , thermodynamics , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , radical polymerization , physics , engineering
Abstract Summary: A mathematical model of the acid catalyzed 1,3‐propanediol polymerization has been developed. Two catalysts investigated include sulfuric acid and superacid (tetrafluoroethane sulfonic acid or triflic acid). Based on a detailed reaction mechanism, population and mass balance equations have been derived for small molecules as well as for polymeric species of numerous chain distributions, which are distinguishable in terms of protonation state and end group functionality. Due to the interaction of the sulfuric acid catalyst with the polymer ends, a novel, dual index polymer chain distribution was derived and implemented. The model has been validated with various sets of experimental data obtained in a lab‐scale reactor setup. Dynamic model outputs such as monomer concentration, molecular weight averages, unsaturated and sulfate end groups, water evaporation rate and sulfate middle groups have been compared with experimental data of sulfuric and super acid catalyzed polymerization runs. Very good agreement between model predictions and experimental data has been obtained for both catalyst systems over an extended range of conditions using the same set of model parameter values. It is worth noting that the model is also capable of predicting polymerization equilibrium.