Sulfur-Containing Vinyl Monomers. XV. Kinetic Study of Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Mercaptobenzothiazole and Its Copolymerization

A kinetic study of radical polymerization of vinyl mercaptobenzothiazole (VMBT) with α,α′-azobisisobutyonitrile (AIBN) at 60°C was carried out. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was found to be expressed by the rate equation: R_p = kAIBN]^0.5 VMBT]^1.0, indicating that the polymerization of this monomer proceeds via an ordinary radical mechanism. The apparent activation energy for overall polymerization was calculated to be 20.9 kcal/mole. Moreover, this monomer was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, phenyl vinyl sulfide, maleic anhydride, and fumaronitrile at 60°C. From the results obtained, the copolymerization parameters were determined and discussed.