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Kinetic and thermodynamic considerations in the synthesis of a new three‐arm poly(ε‐caprolactone)
Author(s) -
Balakrishnan Sunder,
Krishnan Mohan,
Dubois Philippe,
Narayan Ramani
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.20145
Subject(s) - monomer , caprolactone , materials science , polymerization , alkoxide , polymer chemistry , polymer , polyester , kinetics , ring opening polymerization , chemical engineering , catalysis , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
A new high‐molecular‐weight three‐arm poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) polymer was synthesized in bulk (in the absence of any solvent) by using aluminum tri‐sec butoxide as a tri‐functional initiator. The ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone occurs via a coordination‐insertion mechanism that links three growing polyester chains to the Al central atom via metal alkoxide bonds. The global kinetics of the bulk polymerization was determined, and a kinetic model based on monomer‐polymer equilibrium was developed to predict the fractional extent of monomer conversion. Monomer conversions in excess of 95% to form high‐molecular‐weight PCL were achieved. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1491–1497, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.