Radiation-induced heterogeneous polymerization of methyl methacrylate in precipitants

The radiation-induced heterogeneous polymerization of methyl methacrylate in various precipitants, mainly methyl alcohol, was carried out, and the effects of reaction conditions on the polymerization behavior and the molecular weight distribution of polymer were studied. Bimodal molecular weight distributions were found for the polymer produced by the heterogeneous polymerizations in methyl alcohol and in tert-butyl alcohol. The apparent activation energy is 1.0 and 4.5 kcal/mole, respectively, for the polymerization at a monomer concentration of 10 vol-% in methyl alcohol above and below 35°C. The polymerization at a monomer concentration lower than 40 vol-% in methyl alcohol proceeded with the precipitation of polymer. The dose rate exponent of the mean rate of heterogeneous polymerization decreased from 0.5 to a smaller value as the polymerization progressed. The ratio of the two peaks in the bimodal molecular weight distributions of polymer produced in methyl alcohol was affected by the reaction conditions. These results show the coexistence in the polymerizations of two different physical states of propagating chain, a loose state and a rigid one. The reaction scheme is discussed in connection with the physical factors which affect the solubility or the mobility of propagating chains, and the rate of elementary reactions, which influences the degree of propagating chains.     

Effect of dose rate on the radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in tert-butyl alcohol

The dependence of the dose rate on the rate of radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in tert-butyl alcohol containing 5 vol-% water was studied. The reaction was carried out by use of a reactor with a capacity of 100 ml under the following conditions: pressure, 200 kg/cm²; temperature, 24 ± 3°C; dose rate, 3.7 × 10⁴?1.6 × 10⁵ rad/hr; amount of medium, 70 ml. The dose rate exponents for rate of the polymerization, the molecular weight, and the number of polymer chain were found to be about 0.8, ?0.1, and 0.9, respectively. These results were well explained with kinetic results (obtained by a novel analytical method) for the polymerization which contain both first-order and second-order terminations for the concentrations of propagating radical. The individual values of the rate constants in each elementary reaction were also obtained.     

Effect of amount of medium on the radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in tert-butyl alcohol

The kinetics of the radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in the presence of various amounts of medium (tert-butyl alcohol containing 5 vol-% of water) was studied, and the effect of the amount of medium on the polymerization was investigated. The polymerization was carried out by use of a reactor of 100 ml capacity under the following conditions: temperature, 24 ± 3°C; pressure, 200 kg/cm²; dose rate, 2.0 × 10⁴?1.6 × 10⁵ rad/hr. The amount of polymerized monomer and the rate of polymerization were maximum when about 50 ml of the medium was used. Data obtained with the use of 30, 50, and 90 ml of the medium were analyzed kinetically and the rate constants of each elementary reaction were determined by the method based on a reaction mechanism which contains both first- and second-order terminations for the concentration of propagating radical. These results were compared with those obtained with the use of 70 ml of the medium already reported in the previous paper. The dose rate exponents of the rate of polymerization were about 0.7–0.8. It was found that G values for the initiation of ethylene and the medium were 1.5 and 3.8, respectively, and the rate of propagation was proportional to the fugacity of ethylene. It is supposed that the medium plays an important role in the first-order termination, because the apparent rate constant of the reaction was larger when a larger amount of medium was used.     

A novel protocol for the preparation of uniform polymer microspheres with high yields through step polymerization of isophorone diisocyanate

Uniform polymer microspheres with neat surface are of high interests. Precipitation polymerization of vinylic monomers remains a very limited process owing to very low monomer concentration allowed. Here, a fully novel protocol for the production of uniform polymeric microspheres is presented. Using one single monomer, isophorone diisocyanate, highly monodisperse polyurea microspheres were achieved with very high yield in a very short time period via precipitation polymerization in water–acetone mixed solvent. Results demonstrated that the ratio of water–acetone and polymerization temperature played important roles in the process. The size of the microspheres was readily adjustable by varying monomer concentration, water/acetone ratio or polymerization temperature. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

A novel scheme of heterogeneous polymerization of ethylene

The heterogeneous polymerization of ethylene initiated by radiation in tert-butyl alcohol was studied. The polymerization was carried out in a 100-ml reactor at 25–100°C and pressures of 200–300 kg/cm² in the presence of 50 ml of tert-butyl alcohol containing 7 wt-% water. The amounts of polymerized monomer, the average molecular weight of polymer formed, and the molecular weight distribution of polymer were measured at various stages of reaction and at various temperatures. The molecular weight distribution was found to be very much dependent on the reaction time and temperature. For the polymer formed at 50–60°C in the very early stages of reaction, the molecular weight distribution is unimodal, and in the intermediate stage a shoulder appears at a molecular weight higher than the first peak which increases as the polymerization proceeds; eventually a bimodal curve is formed. The bimodal distribution curves were analyzed to determine the fractions and average molecular weights of the each peak. On the basis of these data for the molecular weight distribution and kinetic behavior, a new scheme for the heterogeneous polymerization is proposed which indicates that the polymerization proceeds via propagating radicals in two different physical states, namely, loose and rigid states.     

Polymerization of vinyl chloride at reduced monomer accessibility. II. Polymerization at subsaturation pressure with emulsion PVC as seed

Vinyl chloride was polymerized at 59–92% of saturation pressure in a water-suspended system at 45–65°C with an emulsion poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) latex as a seed. A water-soluble initiator was used in various concentrations. The monomer was continuously charged as vapor from a storage vessel kept at lower temperature. Characterization included determination of molecular-weight distribution and degree of long-chain branching by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and viscometry, thermal dehydrochlorination, and microscopy. The polymerization rate decreases with decreasing pressure but is reasonable even at the lowest pressure. The molecular weight decreases with decreasing pressure and increasing initiator concentration and also with increasing polymerization temperature, if the initiator concentrations are chosen to give a constant initiator radical concentration. The degree of long-chain branching increases with increasing initiator concentration and decreasing monomer pressure but is unaffected by the polymerization temperature, if the initiator radical concentration is kept constant. The thermal stability decreases with decreasing M _n, while the degree of long-chain branching has only a minor influence. The most important factor in the system influencing the molecular parameter is the monomer accessibility.     

Dispersion polymerization of styrene in ethanol: Monomer partitioning behavior and locus of polymerization

A thermodynamic model has been proposed for the simulation of monomer partitioning behavior in the dispersion polymerization of styrene in ethanol. The monomer concentration in the polymer particles is very low (20 vol% at 5% conversion) and decreases further as the polymerization proceeds. It is independent of stabilizer concentration but is strongly dependent on initial monomer concentration. The partitio n coefficient ([M_p]/[M_c]) of styrene increases from 0.8 to 1.1 with incresing conversion. There are two polymerization loci in dispersion polymerization, namely the continuous and polymer phases. Competition between solution and heterogeneous polymerization has been observed in this system. The rate of dispersion polymerization is dependent on initial monomer concentration but is independent of initiator concentration at higher conversions. The molecular weight of the polymers produced by this process increases with increasing conversion and decreases with increasing initiator concentration.     

Novel solvent effects in the photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate by use of quinoline–bromine charge-transfer complex as photoinitiator

Photopolymerization of MMA was carried out at 40°C in diluted systems by use of quinolinebromine (Q–Br₂) charge-transfer complex as the initiator and chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, dioxane, THF, acetone, benzene, toluene, quinoline, and pyridine as solvents. The results showed variable monomer exponents ranging from 1 to 3. For chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and chlorobenzene, the monomer exponent observed was unity; for other solvents used, the value of the same exponent was much higher (between 2 and 3). Initiation of polymerization is considered to take place through radicals generated in the polymerization systems by the photodecomposition of (Q–Br₂)–monomer complex (C) formed instantaneously in situ on addition of the Q–Br₂ complex in monomer. The kinetic feature of high monomer exponent is considered to be due to higher order of stabilization of the initiating complex (C) in presence of the respective solvents. In the presence of the retarding solvents, very low or zero initiator exponents were also observed, depending on the nature and concentration of the solvents used. The deviation from the square-root dependence of rate on initiator concentration becomes higher at high solvent and initiator concentrations in general. This novel deviation is explained on the basis of initiator termination, probably via degradative chain transfer involving the solvent-modified initiating complexes and the propagating radicals.     

Aqueous Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by the Bromate-Thiourea Redox System

The aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by the bromate-thiourea redox system in dilute HC1 has been investigated under nitrogen atmosphere. The rate of polymerization increases with increasing concentration of thiourea in the range 5 × 10^?3?10 × 10^?3 M. The percentage of conversion increases with increasing concentration of the catalyst, but beyond 1.5 × 10^?2 M, there is a decreasing trend in the rate of polymerization. The rate of polymerization increases with increasing monomer concentration, but beyond 0.184 M the polymerization rate decreases due to gel effect. The rate of polymerization increases with temperature up to 35°C and beyond 40°C a decreasing trend is noticed. The effect of water miscible organic solvents, certain neutral salts on the rate of polymerization has also been investigated.     

Kinetics of copolymerization—I. Kinetic investigation of the polymerization of acrylonitrile in homogeneous phase

A detailed study was made of the kinetics of initiated homopolymerization of acrylonitrile in dimethylformamide and dimethylsulphoxide at 40–60°. The rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to the (initiator concentration)^1/2. The rate of initiation of polymerization was determined by the inhibition method, using three stable free radicals. Trends in the average rate of polymerization were also studied for various initial monomer and solvent concentrations. The overall rate constant (K) was strongly dependent on monomer concentration decreasing with decrease of monomer concentration. It has been shown that the hot radical theory describes accurately, without physical contradiction, the solvent dependence of rate constants of polymerization systems.     

The morphology of polyethylene prepared by γ-ray-induced polymerization in various solvents

Polyethylenes were prepared by γ-ray-induced polymerization in ethyl and n-butyl alcohols, tert-butyl alcohol containing 5 vol-% of water, 2,2,5-trimethylhexane, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and cyclohexane in the temperature range 25–90°C. The morphology of the polymers as-polymerized and studied by electron microscopy depends on three factors through the degree of undercooling: the affinity of the solvent, polymerization temperature, and the polymer molecular weight. Large lamellar crystals are formed even in the alcohols when at least two of them are chosen properly.     

Stereospecific polymerization of benzyl vinyl ether by BF3·OEt2

Polymerization of benzyl vinyl ether was carried out by BF₃·OEt₂, and the effects of polymerization conditions on the stereoregularity of the polymer were studied by NMR analysis. The polymerization at ?78°C in toluene gave a highly isotactic polymer. The isotacticity of the polymer was independent of the catalyst concentration but increased with a decrease in the initial monomer concentration and decreased slightly on raising the reaction temperature. When the polymerizations were carried out in toluene—nitroethane mixtures, a gradual decrease in the isotacticity and a rapid decrease in the molecular weight of the polymer were observed with increasing nitroethane in the solvent. The molecular weight of the polymer was almost constant, regardless of the catalyst concentration, and increased with increasing initial monomer concentration and decreasing polymerization temperature. When the polymerization was performed in toluene at ?78°C with a small amount of water or benzyl alcohol, a linear relationship was found between the reciprocal DP of the polymer and water or benzylalcohol concentration. The mechanisms of the initiation reaction and the stereoregulation in the polymerization were also discussed.     

Polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by ceric ion–citric acid redox system

Heterogeneous polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by ceric ammonium sulfate–citric acid (C.A.) redox system is reported at 35 ± 0.2°C under nitrogen atmosphere. The rate of monomer disappearance is found to be proportional to [C.A.]⁰, [Ce⁴⁺]^0.63, and [Monomer]^1.59. The rate of ceric ion disappearance is directly proportional to ceric ion concentration but independent of monomer concentration. The initial rate was independent of [H₂SO₄]. The molecular weight of polyacrylonitrile increases with increasing monomer concentration and decreasing ceric ion concentration. Activation energy was found to be 27.9 kJ/mol.     

Bulk polymerization of α-chloroacrylonitrile

Poly-α-chloroacrylonitrile, which may be regarded as a hybrid of poly(vinyl chloride) and polyacrylonitrile, is, like these polymers, insoluble in its own monomer. Its bulk polymerization is thus heterogeneous, showing abnormal kinetic features by comparison with homogeneous polymerizations. The polymerization exhibits autocatalytic properties. The initiator exponents at 0 and 5% polymerization are 0.45 and 0.44, respectively, and the overall energy of activation is 23.0 ± 2 Kcal./mole. There is no significant change in molecular weight with catalyst concentration in the range 0.057–0.90% nor with conversion up to 12%, but the reaction is accelerated by addition of polymer. Bulk polymerization results in colored products, the color deepening with conversion. These results have been compared with those of Bamford and Jenkins for acrylonitrile and Bengough and Norrish for vinyl chloride and are found to be in closer accord with the latter. They can be accounted for satisfactorily by Bengough and Norrish's suggestion that transfer occurs between growing polymer radicals and dead polymer molecules, the radicals thus formed on the surface of the polymer being removed by transfer to monomer.     

Radiation-induced polymerization of glass-forming systems. IV. Effect of the homogeneity of polymerization phase and polymer concentration on temperature dependence of initial polymerization rate

The effect of homogeneity of polymerization phase and monomer concentration on the temperature dependence of initial polymerization rate was studied in the radiation-induced radical polymerization of binary systems consisting of glass-forming monomer and solvent. In the polymerization of a completely homogeneous system such as HEMA–propylene glycol, a maximum and a minimum in polymerization rates as a function of temperature, characteristic of the polymerization in glass-forming systems, were observed for all monomer concentrations. However, in the heterogeneous polymerization systems such as HEMA–triacetin and HEMA–isoamyl acetate, maximum and minimum rates were observed in monomer-rich compositions but not at low monomer concentrations. Furthermore, in the HEMA–dioctyl phthalate polymerization system, which is extremely heterogeneous, no maximum and minimum rates were observed at any monomer concentration. The effect of conversion on the temperature dependence of polymerization rate in homogeneous bulk polymerization of HEMA and GMA was investigated. Maximum and minimum rates were observed clearly in conversions less than 10% in the case of HEMA and less than 50% in the case of GMA, but the maximum and minimum changed to a mere inflection in the curve at higher conversions. A similar effect of polymer concentration on the temperature dependence of polymerization rate in the GMA–poly(methyl methacrylate) system were also observed. It is deduced that the change in temperature dependence of polymerization rate is attributed to the decrease in contribution of mutual termination reaction of growing chain radicals to the polymerization rate.     

H_2O/TiCl_4/ED体系引发异丁烯控制正离子聚合中的影响因素研究

在亲核试剂(ED)如吡啶(Py)、N,N-二甲基乙酰胺(DMA)或三乙胺(TEA)存在下,由引发剂H2O和共引发剂TiCl4组成引发体系,在二氯甲烷/正己烷混合溶剂中进行异丁烯(IB)正离子聚合,考察了溶剂极性、聚合温度及异丁烯浓度对聚合反应转化率、产物分子量和分子量分布的影响.试验结果表明,随聚合体系溶剂极性增大,聚合速率加快,相近转化率时聚合产物的分子量分布变窄.随着聚合温度降低,聚合速率明显提高,聚合物的分子量增加,活化能为负值,活性链端发生链转移或链终止等副反应的几率减小,当聚合温度为-60℃时,可以抑制活性链端的β-H脱除反应和链转移副反应,并得到大分子链末端全部为叔氯基团的聚异丁烯(PIB).当[IB]0≤2.5mol/L时,随[IB]0增加,聚合转化率有所增加,聚合产物的GPC谱图均为单峰分布,分子量增大,而分子量分布基本保持不变,对于加入Py的聚合体系,分子量分布指数在1.33~1.45范围内,对于加入TEA的聚合体系,分子量分布指数在1.47~1.60范围内,并求出在加入Py和TEA的聚合体系中活性链向单体的链转移常数CM分别为5.5×10-4和6.6×10-4.     

Anionic polymerization of 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentane

In the first of a two-part series, a study has been made of the anionic polymerization of a five-membered cyclocarbosiloxane, 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentane. The polymerization was initiated by lithium n-butyldiphenylsilanolate in the presence of tetrahydrofuran. The chemical shifts of the protons of the cyclic monomer and the polymer were found to be different, and therefore the rate of polymerization was obtained in an NMR spectrometer. The effects of varying the concentrations of THF, initiator, and water upon the rate of polymerization and upon the molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution were investigated. At a constant concentration of monomer and initiator, the rate of polymerization increased when the THF concentration was increased. At a constant concentration of monomer and THF the rate of polymerization reached a constant value when the initiator concentration was varied. The molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution were dependent upon the initiator to water ratio, whereas water concentration had little effect on the rate of polymerization. Essentially monodispersed polymers were obtained when the concentration of initiator was in large excess to that of water or vice versa. A bimodal distribution in molecular weight was obtained when the concentration of initiator was approximately equal to that of water. The apparent activation energy of polymerization was 12.7 kcal/mole.     

Brush macro‐RAFT agent mediated dispersion polymerization of styrene in the alcohol/water mixture

Dispersion RAFT polymerization of styrene in the alcohol/water mixture mediated with the brush macro‐RAFT agent of poly[poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether vinylphenyl‐co‐styrene] trithiocarbonate [P(mPEGV‐co‐St)‐TTC] with similar molecular weight but different chemical composition is investigated. Well‐controlled RAFT polymerization including an initial slow homogeneous polymerization and a subsequent fast heterogeneous polymerization at almost complete monomer conversion is achieved. The molecular weight of the synthesized block copolymer increases linearly with the monomer conversion, and the polydispersity is relatively narrow (PDI < 1.3). The RAFT polymerization kinetics is dependent on the chemical composition in the brush macro‐RAFT agents, and those with high content of hydrophobic segment lead to fast RAFT polymerization. The growth of the block copolymer nano‐objects during the RAFT polymerization is explored, and various block copolymer nano‐objects such as nanospheres, worms, vesicles and large‐compound‐micelle‐like particles are prepared. The parameters such as the chemical composition in the brush macro‐RAFT agent, the chain length of the solvatophobic block, the concentration of the feeding monomer and the solvent character affecting the size and morphology of the block copolymer nano‐objects are investigated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3177–3190     

Study of radiation-induced polymerization of vinyl monomers adsorbed on inorganic substances. V. Effects of p-benzoquinone and dose rate on methyl methacrylate–silica gel system

In order to elucidate the mechanism of radiation-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate adsorbed on silica gel, the effects of p-benzoquinone addition and dose rate were studied in detail. Most of the polymerization is inhibited by p-benzoquinone at levels above 10^-2 mole/l. The GPC spectra of both graft polymers and homopolymers show two peaks. The high molecular weight material appears to have been formed by polymerization by a radical mechanism, because these peaks decrease as p-benzoquinone concentration increases; on the other hand, their low molecular weight polymers seem to be products of an ionic polymerization mechanism because those peaks are almost not affected by p-benzoquinone. The four GPC peaks differ in dose rate dependences of their polymerization rate. The dose-rate exponents of polymerization rate were obtained for the four GPC peaks. The behavior of the low molecular weight peaks of graft polymers and homopolymers were quite different, suggesting that the polymers differ considerably in formation mechanism.     

Vinyl polymerization initiated by peroxydiphosphate. XII. Polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid by peroxydiphosphate–sodium thiosulfate redox system

The aqueous polymerization of acrylic acid and acrylamide initiated by peroxydiphosphate–sodium thiosulfate redox system was investigated within the temperature range of 25–35°C. The rates of polymerization were measured at different concentrations of oxidant, activator and monomer. The monomer and the initiator exponents were evaluated to be 1.12 and 0.51. The rate of polymerization decreases with increasing thiosulfate concentration. On the basis of the experimental observation of the dependence of the rate of polymerization, R_p, on various variables, a suitable kinetic scheme has been proposed and the rate parameters have been evaluated.