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Thermal Polymerization of Styrene, Part 1 – Bulk Polymerization
Author(s) -
Katzer Johannes,
Pauer Werner,
Moritz HansUlrich
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular reaction engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1862-8338
pISSN - 1862-832X
DOI - 10.1002/mren.201100075
Subject(s) - polymerization , styrene , chain transfer , kinetics , radical polymerization , thermal , polymer chemistry , materials science , compartmentalization (fire protection) , polymer science , chemistry , thermodynamics , copolymer , polymer , organic chemistry , physics , composite material , classical mechanics , enzyme
The thermal bulk polymerization of styrene is critically reviewed. There is still no generally accepted kinetic model for the thermal radical formation process, but ideal second‐ or third‐order models are widely used for modeling bulk systems. Since initiation and chain transfer reactions cannot be treated independently from one another as long as the same species is considered to be involved, it is concluded that non‐ideal kinetics, possibly in form of a (micro‐)viscosity dependency of the Mayo mechanism, are likely to be present. A mathematical model is presented that keeps the predictive capabilities of the Hui‐Hamielec model, but allows facile implementation of reaction specific modifications. Part 2 of this paper will focus on the effect of compartmentalization on the thermal polymerization of styrene.