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Kinetics and Modeling of Methacrylic Acid Radical Polymerization in Aqueous Solution
Author(s) -
Wittenberg Nils F. G.,
Buback Michael,
Hutchinson Robin A.
Publication year - 2013
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.201200089
Subject(s) - methacrylic acid , polymerization , monomer , aqueous solution , chain transfer , radical polymerization , chemistry , chain termination , polymer chemistry , kinetic chain length , kinetics , molar mass , bulk polymerization , organic chemistry , polymer , physics , quantum mechanics
Batch radical polymerization of non‐ionized methacrylic acid, 30 wt.‐% in aqueous solution, has been studied at 50 °C and ambient pressure with 2‐mercaptoethanol (ME) as the chain‐transfer agent (CTA). Initial polymerization rate decreases with CTA concentration, which has been varied up to 20 mol‐%. A kinetic model is presented which includes chain‐length‐dependent termination and uses an empirical function to account for the dependence of termination rate on both monomer conversion and molar mass of the polymeric product. In conjunction with P REDICI simulation, this model affords for an adequate representation of the measured monomer conversion vs. time profiles.