Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

Chain transfer constants to monomer have been measured by an emulsion copolymerization technique at 44°C. The monomer transfer constant (ratio of transfer to propagation rate constants) is 1.9 × 10^?5 for styrene polymerization and 0.4 × 10^?5 for the methyl methacrylate reaction. Cross-transfer reactions are important in this system; the sum of the cross-transfer constants is 5.8 × 10^?5. Reactivity ratios measured in emulsion were r₁ (styrene) = 0.44, r₂ = 0.46. Those in bulk polymerizations were r₁ = 0.45, r₂ = 0.48. These sets of values are not significantly different. Monomer feed compcsition in the polymerizing particles is the same as in the monomer droplets in emulsion copolymerization, despite the higher water solubility of methyl methacrylate. The equilibrium monomer concentration in the particles in interval-2 emulsion polymerization was constant and independent of monomer feed composition for feeds containing 0.25–1.0 mole fraction styrene. Radical concentration is estimated to go through a minimum with increasing methyl methacrylate content in the feed. Rates of copolymerization can be calculated a priori when the concentrations of monomers in the polymer particles are known.     

Surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate for preparation of water-redispersible polymeric powders

Poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, and poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) cationically stabilized latexes with up to 25% solid content were prepared by surfactant-free emulsion polymerization (SFEP) employing 1 mol % 2,2′-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride (VA-044) as an initiator and stabilizer (inisurf) with respect to monomer at 70 °C. The latexes had 200–500 nm z-diameter and a very narrow size distribution (PDI < 0.05). The stabilizing amidinium moieties from VA-044 were covalently bound to the particles. After drying in air, poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate), PS-co-PMMA latexes were easily redispersible in water simply by addition of water and a few minutes of gentle stirring. The redispersed latex particles had colloidal characteristics very similar to the original latex particles in terms of polydispersity, size, and zeta potential. In contrast, latexes prepared with a similar formulation but using a conventional cationic surfactant (CTAB) that was not covalently bound to the particles were not redispersible. This is the simplest method reported so far for the preparation of redispersible latexes that do not use high stabilizer concentrations. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2376–2381     

Semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate

The monomer addition policies required to produce homogeneous methyl methacrylateethyl acrylate copolymers of different compositions were determined by means of a semiempirical approach. This approach is useful for systems about which only a limited information is available. Applying this method only three reactions were needed to obtain homogeneous copolymers in a minimum process time. Comparisons were made between the results obtained using this monomer addition strategy and those from copolymerizations carried out under the classical starved conditions.     

Photosensitized copolymerization of optically active N-l-menthylmaleimide with styrene and methyl methacrylate

Photosensitized copolymerization of optically active N-l-menthylmaleimide (NMMI) with styrene (Sty) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 30°C with benzoyl peroxide (BPO). The monomer reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of NMMI (M₂) with Sty (M₁) and MMA (M₁) were r₁ = 0.08 ± 0.10, r₂ = 0.20 ± 0.05 and r₁ = 2.85 ± 0.06, r₂ = 0.07 ± 0.06, respectively. Copoly-MMA–NMMI and poly-NMMI showed positive circular dichroism(CD) curves of equal intensity and shape over the wavelength region from 230 to 270 nm; copoly-Sty–NMMI also showed a positive CD curve which was similar in shape but was different in intensity from that of poly-NMMI. The correlation between monomer unit ellipticity of the copolymers and their composition would suggest the alternating and stereoregular copolymerization of NMMI with Sty.     

Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate. II. Molecular weights

A mathematical model for the time evolution of both number-average molecular weight and weight-average molecular weight is described. The model results in a set of ordinary differential equations and its application is not limited by the maximum number of radicals per particle. The model was used to analyze the effect of the monomer molar ratio in the initial charge on the weight-average molecular weight during the emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in a batch reactor.     

Organostibine mediated controlled/living random copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

The first example of organostibine mediated controlled/living random copolymerization of styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was achieved by heating a solution of St/MMA/organostibine mediator at 100 °C or St/MMA/organostibine mediator/AIBN with various monomer feed ratios at 60 °C. The addition of AIBN significantly decreased the reaction temperature and enhanced the rate of copolymerization. The structure of poly(St-co-MMA) was verified by ¹H NMR. The reactivity ratios at 60 °C were determined by the extended Kelen-Tüd?s method to be γ_St = 0.40 and γ_MMA = 0.44. The ln([M]₀/[M]) increased linearly with increasing reaction time. The number-average molecular weights of poly(St-co-MMA) increased linearly with conversion. Poly(St-co-MMA) with expected number-average molecular weight and low polydispersity index was formed. The living characteristic was further confirmed by chain-extension of poly(St-co-MMA) to form poly(St-co-MMA)-b-PMMA.     

Free-radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with styrene in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol II. Influence of methyl methacrylate/styrene ratio

The free-radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with styrene (St) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) was investigated in order to obtain ω-hydroxy oligomers with random copolymer-type chains of various compositions and molecular weights. Polymerizations at three different MMA/St molar ratios were carried out, while keeping constant the ME/monomer ratio. Monomer mixtures richer in MMA than in St were employed in order to attempt preparing lower polydispersity oligomers with monomodal molecular weight distribution (MWD). The molecular weights of the resulting oligomers increased with both conversion and MMA fraction in the feed, while polydispersities increased with conversion and decreased with MMA concentration in the initial monomer mixture. For the lower MMA fractions in the monomer feed, bimodal MWDs resulted beyond a certain conversion due to the faster relative consumption of ME than of monomer. Based on the pseudo-kinetic rate constant method, apparent chain transfer constants corresponding to the three different compositions of the monomer feed were estimated. The values obtained were in good agreement with the evolution of molecular weights and polydispersities with conversion and MMA fraction in the monomer feed. The co-oligomers prepared displayed functionalities around unity, making them suitable for the synthesis of macromonomers.     

Stabilization and kinetics in the emulsion copolymerization of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate

We carried out emulsion homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of butyl acrylate (BuA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) with different types and concentrations of surfactants to determine the influence of these parameters on the particle size and particle size distribution and to elucidate the mechanism of particle formation. As expected, the mechanisms of nucleation above and below the critical micelle concentration were very different; however, it was also found that the presence of partially soluble monomers such as MMA in the water phase had a significant influence on the critical micelle concentration of Triton X‐405 (>50%). In addition, the nucleation mechanism during copolymerization seemed to be dominated by BuA, with the number of particles per liter being very similar to the number nucleated during its homopolymerization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2832–2846, 2001     

The emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate

The emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate has been shown to be a feasible preparative route to ionomeric sulfonated polystyrene. The properties of these copolymers are reported elsewhere. The copolymerization rate was found to be dramatically enhanced when compared to that for the emulsion copolymerization of styrene under identical conditions. This copolymerization was studied in detail and two mechanisms were proposed to account for these rate differences. An increase in the number of polymerizing particles in the copolymerization with consequent rate enhancement was substantiated by electron microscopy. However, the data indicate that the rate differences cannot be fully accounted for by this effect. In addition, a gel effect is proposed as a second contributor to the enhanced rate. This gel effect is believed to result from the intermolecular association of the incorporated metal sulfonate units in the growing polymer particles. When a third monomer that plasticizes the ionic interactions is used the polymerization rate decreases. This supports the gel effect hypothesis.     

Emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate

The kinetics of the emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate have been examined over a range of comonomer compositions. The rate of polymerization was found to increase dramatically in the presence of small amounts of sodium styrene sulfonate. This increase is attributed to the increased number of particles formed when sodium styrene sulfonate was present and to a gel effect enhanced by ion association. At low concentrations of functional comonomer, where a monodisperse product was obtained, a homogeneous nucleation mechanism of particle generation is proposed. At higher concentrations, broader and then bimodal size distributions were obtained, and this is ascribed to significant aqueous phase polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate. The water-soluble homopolymer is supposed to act as a locus of polymerization. The occurrence of this aqueous phase side reaction and the generation of secondary particles makes impossible the preparation of highly sulfonated polystyrene latexes by batch or seeded batch emulsion copolymerization.     

Kinetics of the seeded semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate

The effect of a chain‐transfer agent (CTA) on the kinetics and molecular weight distribution of the methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate semicontinuous emulsion polymerization was investigated. The dodecanethiol had a slight effect on the reaction rate but significantly affected the secondary nucleation. The effect of the CTA concentration on the gel formation and the effect of the reaction conditions on the mass‐transfer limitations of the CTA are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 367–375, 2000     

The effect of sodium methacrylate on the soapless emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and n-butyl acrylate

The soapless emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and n-butyl acrylate (BA) containing various concentrations of sodium methacrylate (NaMA) or methacrylic acid (MMA) is studied. The hydrosoluble yields in final latexes are not larger than 1.3–5%, depending on the concentration of NaMA used. Below 25% conversion, the change of conversion with reaction time follows the square rule and the particle size is proportional to the 2/3 power of time. Above 25% conversion, serious gel effect occurs, and the conversion follows the seventh power on time and the growth of particle diameter obeys the 2.5 power on time. The multiple glass transition (T_g) occur below 20% conversion, where monomer droplets exist. NaMA added induces more T_gs. The effect of molecular weight of the copolymers obtained on T_g (even the molecular weight distributions were shown to be shouldertype bimodal) is estimated to be insignificant. Thus, the heterogeneity of copolymer compositions for multiple T_gs is ascribed to be caused from neither the molecular weight heterogeneity nor the shifts in compositions due to the difference of the monomer reactivity ratios. Referring to the results mentioned, we assume the sublayer surrounding the particle, rich with SO₄^? and COO^? groups, and the concentration gradients of monomers in particles to illustrate particle morphology. In addition, the relatively hydrophilic sublayer is proposed to be closely relative with the occurrence of the composition heterogeneity in particles.     

Statistical radical copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in a room temperature ionic liquid

Use of a room temperature ionic liquid as the medium for conventional free radical copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate resulted in reactivity ratios that were significantly different from those obtained in conventional organic solvents or in bulk, demonstrating that polymerization in this alternative medium offers potential to create copolymers having new monomer sequences.     

Comparative recalculation of the monomer reactivity ratios in copolymerization for styrene and methyl methacrylate

The monomer reactivity ratios (MMRs) in radical copolymerization for styrene and methyl methacrylate were recalculated by five different methods using literature copolymerization data. The use of approximate 95% confidence limits and their visual inspection helps to separate possibly biased copolymer composition data. The recalculated mean MRR values were r₁ (styrene) = 0.501 ± 0.031 and r₂ = 0.472 ± 0.031. The results of the linear least-squares calculation procedures seldom approach the quality of the nonlinear least-squares analysis according to the method of Tidwell and Mortimer.     

Free radical copolymerization of 1-vinyl naphthalene with styrene,methyl methacrylate,and acrylonitrile

Investigations on free radical copolymerization of 1-vinyl naphthalene (1-VNph, monomerM ₂) with styrene (St), methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (AN) (monomersm ₁) in bulk at 60°C with AIBN as initiator are presented. Relative reactivity ratios were calculated by the Kelen-Tüdös method yielding:r _st=0.70 ±0.23 andr _1–VNph=2.02 ±0.40 for system St/1-VNph;r _MMA=0.32 ±0.10 andr _1–VNph=0.57 ±0.07 for system MMA/1-VNph andr _AN=0.11 ±0.03 andr _1–VNph=0.45 ±0.09 for system AN/1-VNph.Q, e values for 1-VNph according to Alfrey, Price scheme were calculated toQ _1–VNph=1.02,e ₁–VNph=–0.62.