Radiation-induced copolymerization of methyl trifluoroacrylate with ethylene

Copolymerization of methyl trifluoroacrylate (MTFA) with ethylene in bulk was induced by γ irradiation. The copolymerization was observed to proceed in the liquid monomer mixture of MTFA and ethylene at 25°C with the dose rates ranging from 5.0 × 10⁴ to 1.0 × 10⁶ rad/hr. A wide range of the initial monomer composition gives an almost equimolar and alternating copolymer. The highest polymerization rate was observed at the equimolar monomer composition. The dose rate exponent of the polymerization rate is unity. The reactivity ratios of r₁ (MTFA) and r₂ (ethylene) were determined to be 0.034 and 0.14, respectively.     

Radiation induced terpolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with propylene and n-butyl vinyl ether in bulk

Terpolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) with propylene (P) and n-butyl vinyl ether (NBVE) induced by γ-rays at room temperature at dose rate 5 × 10⁵ rad/h and P/NBVE molar ratio from 49/1 to 10/40 was carried out. An alternating copolymerization between TFE and two α-olefins was found to take place in this system, so that 50 mole % of TFE containing terpolymer is always formed at various monomer compositions. The terpolymer composition can be explained successfully by the treatment by a complex mechanism. The complex reactivity ratios of r_I (TFE–complex) and r_II (TFE-NBVE complex) were calculated to be 0.5 and 0.6, respectively, assuming a complex mechanism. The polymerization rate and molecular weight increase with NBVE concentration in the monomer mixture. Colorless transparent rubber-like polymers were obtained at each monomer composition. The glass transition temperature sharply decreases with NBVE concentration in the terpolymer but the thermal and chemical resistances of the terpolymer slightly decrease. Considering these results together with the mechanical properties it has been concluded that the 45/48/7 terpolymer of TFE/P/NBVE molar ratio is good as a practical elastomer useful at relatively low temperatures.     

Alternating copolymerization of ethylene with maleic anhydride

The copolymerization of ethylene with maleic anhydride was carried out with γ-radiation and a radical initiator, i.e., 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile and diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate under pressure at various reaction conditions. The homopolymerization of neither monomer was observed in this system. In the γ-ray-initiated copolymerization the G value (polymerized monomer molecules per 100 e.v.) was shown to be between 10³ and 10⁴. It was found that the dose rate exponent of the rate is approximately unity, and the rate is proportional to the amount of ethylene monomer. Apparent activation energies of 1.8 and 27.5 kcal./mole were obtained for γ-ray-initiated and AIBN-initiated copolymerization, respectively. Since the composition of copolymer is independent of monomer molar ratio and the molar ratio of ethylene to maleic anhydride in the polymer is approximately unity, the monomer reactivity ratios were obtained as r_E ? 0 and r_M ? 0 for γ-ray-initiated polymerization at 40°C. Alternating copolymerization was, therefore, concluded to occur. Infrared analysis of the copolymer is almost consistent with this. The copolymer in the solid state is amorphous. It is soluble in water, cyclohexane, and dimethylformamide and insoluble in lower alcohols, ether, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The aqueous solution of polymer gave a strong acid.     

Alternating Copolymerization of Styrene and N-(4-Bromophenyl)Maleimide

Abstract

Free radical copolymerization of styrene (St) and N(4-bro-mophenyl)maleimide (4BPMI) in dioxane solution gave an alternating copolymer in all proportions of feed comonomer compositions. The monomer reactivity ratios were found to be r ₁, = 0.0218 ± 0.0064 (St) and r ₂, = 0.0232 ± 0.0112 (4BPMI), and the activation energy of the copolymerization reaction for the equimolar ratios of comonomer was E _a, = 51.1 kJ/mol. The molecular weights of the copolymers obtained are relatively high, the T _g's showed similar values (490 K), and the thermal stability is higher than that of polystyrene. The initial rate of copolymerization depends on the total concentration of the comonomers and the maximum occurred at higher 4BPMI mol fractions; however, the overall conversion is highest at equimolar comonomer composition. It has been shown that a charge-transfer complex participates in the process of copolymerization. The initial reaction rate was measured as a function of the monomer molar ratios, and the participation of the charge-transfer complex monomer and the free monomers was quantitatively estimated.     

Kinetics and mechanism of metallocene‐catalyzed olefin polymerization: Comparison of ethylene,propylene homopolymerizations,and their copolymerization

A series of ethylene, propylene homopolymerizations, and ethylene/propylene copolymerization catalyzed with rac‐Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) were conducted under the same conditions for different duration ranging from 2.5 to 30 min, and quenched with 2‐thiophenecarbonyl chloride to label a 2‐thiophenecarbonyl on each propagation chain end. The change of active center ratio ([C^*]/[Zr]) with polymerization time in each polymerization system was determined. Changes of polymerization rate, molecular weight, isotacticity (for propylene homopolymerization) and copolymer composition with time were also studied. [C^*]/[Zr] strongly depended on type of monomer, with the propylene homopolymerization system presented much lower [C^*]/[Zr] (ca. 25%) than the ethylene homopolymerization and ethylene–propylene copolymerization systems. In the copolymerization system, [C^*]/[Zr] increased continuously in the reaction process until a maximum value of 98.7% was reached, which was much higher than the maximum [C^*]/[Zr] of ethylene homopolymerization (ca. 70%). The chain propagation rate constant (k_p) of propylene polymerization is very close to that of ethylene polymerization, but the propylene insertion rate constant is much smaller than the ethylene insertion rate constant in the copolymerization system, meaning that the active centers in the homopolymerization system are different from those in the copolymerization system. Ethylene insertion rate constant in the copolymerization system was much higher than that in the ethylene homopolymerization in the first 10 min of reaction. A mechanistic model was proposed to explain the observed activation of ethylene polymerization by propylene addition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 867–875     

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.     

Radiation-induced copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with vinyl ethers

Radiation-induced copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with various vinyl ethers has been studied. It was found that tetrafluoroethylene can be copolymerized with vinyl ethers to give alternating copolymers over a wide range of the initial monomer concentration in the monomer mixture. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined for the copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with n-butyl vinyl ether as 0.005 (r_TFE) and 0.0015 (r_NBVE). The rate of copolymerization is extremely high and has a maximum at an equimolar concentration of two monomers. The alternating structure of the copolymers was confirmed by the analysis of NMR spectra. Some thermal properties of the copolymers were measured by DSC and DTA.     

Copolymerization and Copolymers of Styrene N-(2,4,6-Tribromophenyl) Maleimide with Styrene

Kinetic studies of the free radical copolymerization of N-(2,4,6- tribromophenyl) maleimide (TBPMI) with styrene in solution were carried out. The thermal and flammability characteristics of the resulting polymers were also investigated. The monomer reactivity ratios were found to be r ₁ = 0.006 ± 0.0026 (TBPMI) and r ₂ = 0.086 ± 0.0023, and the activation energy of the copolymerization reaction was E_a = 73.6 kJ/mol. The resulting copolymers showed an alternating structure regardless to the monomer feed composition. The molecular weights of the copolymers obtained are relatively high and gradually increase by increasing the TBPMI fraction in the feed, whereas the T_g's showed similar values (540 K) for the equimolar ratio of the comonomers. The course of copolymerization up to high conversion was followed by microcalorimetry and is characterized by a remarkable increase of the initial reaction rate as the fraction of TBPMI was increased; it is also higher at higher total monomer concentrations. However, the overall conversion decreases when the fraction of TBPMI is higher than the equimolar ratio. The thermal stability of the alternating copolymers is higher than that of polystyrene, and their mixture showed appreciable flame-retardant properties, as demonstrated by a limiting oxygen index measurement.     

Radiation-induced emulsion copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with propylene. III. Polymerization mechanism

In the radiation-induced emulsion copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene with propylene, the dose rate dependence, the effect of emulsifier concentration, and the effect of monomer composition were studied. The rate of polymerization was proportional to the 0.90 power of the dose rate and the 0.26 power of the emulsifier concentration. The degree of polymerization was independent of the dose rate and the emulsifier concentration. Both the rate of polymerization and the degree of polymerization increased with tetrafluoroethylene content in the monomer mixture. The resulting copolymer was an alternating polymer over a wide range of monomer composition. It was concluded from the dose rate dependence of the rate of polymerization that the emulsion copolymerization is mainly terminated by degradative chain transfer of the propagating radical to propylene.     

Synthesis of polymers having photocrosslinkable moieties for second-order nonlinear optics

Second-order non-linear optical polymers having photocrosslinkable moieties were synthesized by cationic polymerization of monomer (I) and monomer (II). The polymerization proceeded rapidly to give linear polymers in high yields. Monomer reactivity ratios were calculated to be r₁ = 0.90 and r₂ = 0.96 (r₁r₂ = 0.86), indicating that these monomers copolymerized through the almost ideal copolymerization mechanism. The photocrosslinking reaction of an equimolar copolymer film underwent the conversion of up to ca. 70% upon irradiation with a 500 W high-presure mercury lamp for 5 min. The electric field induced polar orientation of the chromophores (pendant 4-nitrophenyloxy groups) in a photocrosslinked polymer was stable for more than 10 days. This polymer exhibits a nonlinear coefficient d₃₃ of 5.6 × 10^-10 esu measured at a pumping wavelength of 1064 nm.     

Radiation-Induced Copolymerization of Thiophene with Maleic Anhydride

Radiation-induced copolymerization of thiophene with maleic anhydride has been studied. On the copolymerization in chloroform solution, the effects of dose rate, polymerization temperature, and, monomer composition and concentration on the yield and molecular weight of the copolymer were determined. The copolymerization proceeds via a radical mechanism with bimolecular termination of propagating polymer radicals, and the apparent activation energy is 5.3 kcal/mole. By NMR spectroscopy of copolymer, it was also found that these monomers copolymerize alternately to give a copolymer having structure I. In this copolymerization, the higher initial rates were obtained at an equimolar composition of monomers and by using solvents containing chlorine, such as CC1₄, CHC1₃, and C₆H₅C1.     

Studies of the polymerization of diallyl compounds. XXVII. Copolymerization of diallyl tartrate with several vinyl monomers

The radical copolymerization of diallyl tartrate (DATa) (M₁) with diallyl succinate (DASu), diallyl phthalate (DAP), allyl benzoate (ABz), vinyl acetate (VAc), or styrene (St) was investigated in order to disclose in more detail the characteristic hydroxyl group's effect observed in the homopolymerization of DATa. In the copolymerization with DASu or DAP as a typical diallyldicarboxylate, the dependence of the rate of copolymerization on monomer composition was different for different copolymerization systems and unusual values larger than unity for the product of monomer reactivity ratios, r₁r₂, were obtained. In the copolymerization with ABz or VAc (M₂), the r₁ and r₂ values were estimated to be 1.50 and 0.64 for the DATa/ABz system and 0.76 and 2.34 for the DATa/VAc system, respectively; the product r₁r₂ for the latter copolymerization system was found again to be larger than unity. In the copolymerization with St, the largest effect due to DATa monomer of high polarity was observed. Solvent effects were tentatively examined to improve the copolymerizability of DATa. These results are discussed in terms of hydrogen-bonding ability of DATa.     

Radiation-induced copolymerization of vinylene carbonate with methyl trifluoroacrylate

Copolymerization of vinylene carbonate (VCA) with methyl trifluoroacrylate (MTFA) was carried out by gamma rays from ⁶⁰Co at dose rates of 1 × 10⁵ rad/h to 1 × 10⁶ rad/h, temperatures of 0°C to 75°C, and molar ratios MTFA/VCA of 30/70 to 90/10 in the monomer mixture. By irradiation, VCA reacted with MTFA to give a white powder copolymer with low molecular weight. The copolymerization rate has a maximum at a concentration of 70 mol % VCA, and is proportional to the 0.92 power of dose rate. The apparent activation energy was 1.3 kcal/mol. Equimolar copolymer was obtained at molar ratio MTFA/VCA of 50/50 to 10/90. The reactivity ratios of both monomers, VCA and MTFA, were determined to be r(VCA) = 0.3 and r(MTFA) = 0.07, respectively.     

Polymerization of 1,3‐dienes with functional groups. II. Free‐radical polymerization of N‐(2‐methylene‐3‐butenoyl)piperidine

The free‐radical homopolymerization and copolymerization behavior of N‐(2‐methylene‐3‐butenoyl)piperidine was investigated. When the monomer was heated in bulk at 60 °C for 25 h without an initiator, about 30% of the monomer was consumed by the thermal polymerization and the Diels–Alder reaction. No such side reaction was observed when the polymerization was carried out in a benzene solution with 1 mol % 2,2′‐azobisisobutylonitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The polymerization rate equation was found to be R_p ∝ [AIBN]^0.507[M]^1.04, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated to be 89.5 kJ/mol. The microstructure of the resulting polymer was exclusively a 1,4‐structure that included both 1,4‐E and 1,4‐Z configurations. The copolymerizations of this monomer with styrene and/or chloroprene as comonomers were carried out in benzene solutions at 60 °C with AIBN as an initiator. In the copolymerization with styrene, the monomer reactivity ratios were r₁ = 6.10 and r₂ = 0.03, and the Q and e values were calculated to be 10.8 and 0.45, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1545–1552, 2003     

Emulsion copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene with redox system containing tert-butylperbenzoate. II. Polymerization mechanism

Emulsion copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and propylene (P) initiated by trilon-rongalite catalytic system containing tert-C₄H₉OH, initial monomer mixture, emulsifier (C₇F₁₅COONH₄) concentration, and monomer mixture/water ratio on the polymerization rate (R) and molecular weight (M?_n ) was investigated. Both R and M?_n increased considerably with TFE content in monomer mixture up to 75 mol %. Alternating rubber-like copolymers in a wide range of initial monomer mixture (from 55–85 mol %) were obtained. The reactivity ratio was found to be r_TFE = 0.005 ± 0.04 and r_p = 0.17 ± 0.07. Above the critical miscelle concentration, the effects of the initiating system Is and emulsifier Cs on R and M?_n were found to obey the following relations: according to which emulsion copolymerization proceeds by the I case of Smith-Ewart theory. Polymerization mechanism of the reaction studied was suggested. The copolymerization is mainly terminated by degradative chain transfer of the propagating radicals to propylene. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Radiation-induced copolymerizations of perfluorovinyl acetic acid and its methyl ester with α-olefin

Homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of perfluorovinyl acetic acid (FVA) and its methyl ester (MFVA) were carried out by γ radiation at a temperature of 25°C, a dose rate of 1 × 10⁶ rad/hr, and FVA/α-olefin and MFVA/α-olefin ratios of 10/90-90/10 in the monomer mixture. FVA and MFVA gave small quantities of brown and greasy low-molecular-weight homopolymers. The polymerization rates of both FVA and MFVA were extremely small, as shown by the maximum G value of monomer consumption of 12. FVA and MFVA reacted with α-olefin to form waxlike copolymers. The copolymerization rates of both FVA and MFVA with α-olefin were remarkably larger than those of the homopolymerizations, particularly with ethylene. The polymer compositions of FVA/ethylene or MFVA/ethylene was nearly 1/2 over a wide range of the monomer compositions. The Mayo–Lewis method gave negative r₁ (FVA) and r₁ (MFVA). The polymer composition curves could be well interpreted by introducing the penultimate model.     

Free‐radical copolymerization of vinyl esters using fluoroalcohols as solvents: The solvent effect on the monomer reactivity ratio

Free‐radical copolymerizations of vinyl acetate (VAc = M₁) and other vinyl esters (= M₂) including vinyl pivalate (VPi), vinyl 2,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)propionate (VF6Pi), and vinyl benzoate (VBz) with fluoroalcohols and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvents were investigated. The fluoroalcohols affected not only the stereochemistry but also the polymerization rate. The polymerization rate was higher in the fluoroalcohols than in THF. The accelerating effect of the fluoroalcohols on the polymerization was probably due to the interaction of the solvents with the ester side groups of the monomers and growing radical species. The difference in the monomer reactivity ratios (r₁, r₂) in THF and 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol was relatively small for all reaction conditions and for the monomers tested in this work, whereas r₁ increased in the VAc‐VF6Pi copolymerization and r₂ decreased in the VAc‐VPi copolymerization when perfluoro‐tert‐butyl alcohol was used as the solvent. These results were ascribed to steric and monomer‐activating effects due to the hydrogen bonding between the monomers and solvents. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 220–228, 2000     

Kinetics of the copolymerization of styrene with small quantities of divinylbenzenes

The study of copolymerization of styrene with small amounts (≤0.04 wt %) of divinylbenzenes (DVB) offers advantages over similar studies made at high DVB concentrations. A simple set of equations can be used to describe the kinetics of copolymerization at low DVB concentrations. Experimental data show that the copolymerization constants (r₂) for the copolymerization of the first double bonds of m- and p-DVB (monomer 1) with styrene (monomer 2) are 0.85 and 0.43, respectively. In contrast to findings at higher DVB concentrations these constants do not change during the first half of the polymerization. After 50% conversion an autoacceleration effect reduces the selectivity of the growing polystyrene radical. The copolymerization constants for the second double bonds of m- and p-DVB during the first half of the polymerization are estimated as 1.     

Ethylene propylene diene terpolymers produced with a homogeneous and highly active zirconium catalyst

EPDM terpolymers with ethylidene norbornene as diene monomer could be prepared by means of a soluble Ziegler catalyst formed from biscyclopentadienyl zirconium dimethyl and methylaluminoxane. The overall activities lie between 100 and 1000 kg EPDM/(molZr h bar), obtainable at zirconium concentrations as low as 5 × 10^?7 mol/L. After an induction period (0.5–5 h) the polymerization rates increased and then leveled to a value which was constant for several days. From copolymerization kinetics reactivity ratios r₁₂ = 31.5, r₂₁ = 5 × 10^?3, and r₁₃ = 3.1 could be derived, and by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy r₁₂ · r₂₁ = 0.3 was found (1: ethylene, 2: propylene and 3: ethylidene norbornene). The regiospecifity of the catalyst toward propylene leads exclusively to the formation of head-to-tail enchainments. The diene polymerizes via vinyl polymerization of the cyclic double bond, and the tendency to branching is low. Molecular weights were estimated between 40,000 and 160,000. The average molecular weight distribution of 1.7 is remarkably narrow. Glass transition temperatures of ?60 to ?50°C could be observed. The cure behavior and the physical properties of cured samples were also tested.     

Effects of temperature on styrene–methacrylonitrile copolymerization

The free-radical copolymerization of styrene and methacrylonitrile was studied in toluene solution at 60, 90, and 120°C. Copolymer composition was estimated from gas-chromatographic measurement of unreacted monomer concentrations. Reactions were carried to about 20% conversion to minimize analytical errors. Reactivity ratios were calculated by using an integrated form of the Mayo-Lewis simple copolymerization equation. Reactivity ratios were not sensitive to reaction temperature. The values at 90°C are r₁ = 0.41 (methacrylonitrile) and r₂ = 0.37 (styrene). The r₁ values are higher than those reported by other workers, presumably because of advantages in the present analytical technique and calculation method. The negligible temperature dependence of reactivity ratios is in accord with theory. If monomer pairs exhibit pronounced dependence of reactivity ratios on polymerization temperature, this may indicate a change in mode of placement of units in the polymer chain.