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Modelling of emulsion copolymer microstructure
Author(s) -
van Doremaele G. H. J.,
van Herk A. M.,
German A. L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.4990270203
Subject(s) - copolymer , monomer , polymer chemistry , emulsion polymerization , materials science , triad (sociology) , emulsion , polymer , reactivity (psychology) , chain transfer , acrylate , desorption , microstructure , chemical engineering , styrene , methyl acrylate , butyl acrylate , particle (ecology) , molar mass , radical polymerization , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , adsorption , engineering , medicine , psychology , alternative medicine , oceanography , pathology , psychoanalysis , geology
A model has been developed to describe stages II and III of batch emulsion copolymerization, and its predictive capabilities have been investigated by application to the system styrene‐methyl acrylate. The main reaction site is considered to be the monomer‐swollen polymer particle. Copolymerization rate and copolymer microstructure (molar‐mass‐chemical‐composition distribution and sequence distribution at the triad level) are controlled by the local concentrations of monomers and free radicals inside the particles. The model accounts for radical absorption and desorption processes, bimolecular termination within the particles, and transfer to monomer and chain transfer agent. Monomer partitioning is described using experimentally determined relations. The results include rate of (co)polymerization. composition drift and copolymer microstructure. It is demonstrated that ‘apparent’ reactivity ratios are generally incapable of describing the course of emulsion copolymerizations in an adequate manner.