Solvent effects on mechanism of tetramethylene polymerization

The polymerization mechanism of tetramethylenes was reinvestigated under inclusion of solvent effects. The approach of a methanol molecule to a borderline diradical, a typical diradical, and a typical zwitterion was studied by a valence, charge, and dipole moment analysis of SINDO 1 calculations. Whereas the solvent molecule has no effect on the character of the zwitterion, the borderline diradical was found to switch to a zwitterion at the approach of the methanol molecule if the distance between the donor carbon and the methanol oxygen is below 2 Å. A similar switch of character was observed for the typical diradical at CO distances below 1.5 Å. From energy considerations it is concluded that borderline diradicals can follow a zwitterionic polymerization mechanism in polar solvents, whereas typical diradicals are much less likely to do so.     

Polymerizable tautomers. VI. Solvent effects on polymerization and copolymerization of ethyl 4-methyl-3-oxo-4-pentenoate

The radical polymerization of ethyl 4-methyl-3-oxo-4-pentenoate (EMAA) was investigated at 60°C in benzene and acetonitrile. In both solvents, the kinetic results disagreed with the conventional model of radical polymerization. A remarkable solvent effect on monomer reactivity ratio was observed for the copolymerization of EMAA and styrene. Regression analysis of the monomer reactivity ratio with the solvatochromic parameters gives a good linear relationship, taking into account polarity and hydrogen-bond donating acidity of the solvent as the major factors.     

Thermal transport and chemical effects of fillers on free-radical frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization (FP) is a process in which a front propagates in a localized reaction zone, converting monomer into polymer through the coupling of thermal diffusion with the Arrhenius kinetics of an exothermic reaction. Fillers are added to control the rheological properties of the formulation and to enhance the mechanical properties of the product. However, the thermal and chemical effects of these fillers on the front propagation have not been thoroughly explored. Herein we report the thermal and chemical effects of fillers on free-radical frontal polymerization. It was found that fillers with high thermal diffusivities, such as milled carbon fiber and boron nitride increased the front velocity. Despite their high thermal diffusivities, fillers such as aluminum and alumina decreased the front velocity. This is likely due to the radical-scavenging ability of aluminum oxide, which was explored with clay minerals. It was found that the presence of water within clay fillers can also decrease the front velocity. To probe the chemical effects, acid-activated clay minerals were utilized. The results demonstrate that some fillers can increase front velocity through their high thermal diffusivities while others decrease it by acting as radical scavengers.     

Modelling the free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate over the complete range of conversion

A model is proposed for the radical-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate which combines concepts given in the literature. Consecutive steps for diffusion and reaction are used for both the propagation and the termination process, and the termination at higher degrees of conversion is dominated by reaction diffusion as described by Buback. The diffusional contributions to the processes are semi-empirically based on the free-volume theory, following a suggestion made by Marten and Hamielec, and the diffusion of the macroradicals is assumed to depend on the instantaneous molar mass (as representative for their chain length) and on the cumulative molar mass (representing the matrix of the dead polymer). With one fixed and four adjustable parameters, the model successfully not only describes the bulk polymerization but also takes account of the presence of solvent, chain transfer agent and pre-polymer.     

Kinetics of photoinitiated free-radical polymerization

Analytical expressions describing the kinetics of photoinitiated free-radical polymerization are derived for a variety of conditions. The effect of the exponential attenuation of intensity of light in the direction of incidence in the system is carefully accounted for in each case. An attempt is made to include the depletion of initiator due to its photolysis in the kinetic scheme. The marked difference between the polymerization kinetics in well-stirred and unstirred systems is shown by comparing them under limiting conditions. The variation of this difference with the optical density of the system is illustrated graphically. The influence of light absorption by components other than the photoinitiator (e.g., solvent, monomer) is examined. The order of the polymerization reaction with respect to initiator as determined by conventional kinetic experiments depends on the amount of light absorbed by components of the system other than the photoinitiator.     

Solvent effect on the kinetics of the free-radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of fullerene C60

The induction period in the kinetic curves of styrene polymerization in the presence of fullerene C₆₀ was found to increase significantly at a solvent (benzene, toluene, ortho-dichlorobenzene, CCl₄) concentration of ≥50 mol %. The free-radical polymerization rates of styrene in the presence of fullerene C₆₀ and solvents, the ratio of chain propagation and termination rate constants k _p /k ₀ ^1/2 , and the stoichiometric inhibition coefficient were determined.     

Cyclopolymerization. II. Mechanism of the free-radical polymerization of N-n-propyldimethacrylamide

The mechanism of cyclopolymerization was investigated by using N-n-propyldimethacrylamide (PDMA). Completely cyclized polymers were formed on polymerization of PDMA by a radical initiator. Moreover, those copolymers of PDMA and various monomers, such as styrene, methyl methacrylate, and vinyl acetate, obtained did not contain any detectable pendent double bonds. The kinetic investigation showed that the termination reaction proceeded between the cyclized radicals. The attempted polymerization of N-n-propyl-N-isobutyrylmethacrylamide, the monofunctional counterpart of PDMA, was failed. These results appear to confirm that cyclopolymerization of PDMA proceeds through a concerted mechanism which has been proposed for the mechanism of the cyclopolymerization of various difunctional monomers. Measurement of the ESR spectra of propagating radical has, however, revealed that the rate-determining step of the cyclopolymerization of PDMA is not intermolecular propagation but intramolecular cyclization, which indicates that the cyclization reaction proceeds in a stepwise way. This apparent contradiction was explained based upon thermodynamic considerations.     

Phase-Transfer catalyzed free-radical polymerization of acrylonitrile

The kinetics of phase-transfer catalyzed free-radical polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) was carried out with water-soluble initiator peroxomonosulphate (PMS) with phase-transfer catalysts (tetrabutylammonium chloride and benzyltributylammonium chloride (TBAC and BTBAC) in tolune/water two-phase systems in the temperature range of 45–55°C at fixed pH (4) and ionic strength. The rates of polymerization (R_p) were evaluated at various values of [PMS], [PTC], and [AN]. It has been observed that the rates of polymerization increase with an increase of [AN], [PMS], and [PTC]. A kinetic scheme has been proposed to account for the experimental observations. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Modelling free-radical copolymerization kinetics, 3. Molecular weight calculations for copolymers with crosslinking

A comprehensive model for molecular weight calculations of free-radical crosslinking copolymerizations was developed using the pseudo-kinetic rate constants and the method of moments. The moments of copolymer chain distributions are defined in such a way so that the molecular weight averages of crosslinking copolymers can be calculated using the moments. The present model is based on a general crosslinking copolymerization scheme, accounting for chain transfer to small molecules and polymer, bimolecular termination, and crosslinking reactions. The influence of crosslinking reactions on molecular weight development is discussed. The effects of the reactivity of pendant double bonds on the moments development were further demonstrated using model simulations. The simulations results suggest that the higher-order molecular weight averages are very sensitive to the reactivity of pendant double bonds. It was found that chain transfer to polymer affects the gelation point significantly. The radical fractions must be calculated accounting for chain transfer reactions in addition to propagations in order to properly evaluate pseudo-kinetic rate constants. The present model was used to predict kinetic behavior and molecular weight development of styrene/m-divinylbenzene and styrene/ethylene dimethacrylate free-radical crosslinking copolymerizations in benzene solution at 60°C. It was found that the present model is in excellent agreement with the experimental data published in the literature. Model predictions and experimental data show that the reactivity of pendant double bonds is much lower than that of vinyl and divinyl monomers. The simulation results suggest that the assumption of the same reactivity of functional groups is likely not valid for many free-radical crosslinking copolymerizations. The present model based on a kinetics approach can be used to predict molecular weight development for vinyl/divinyl free-radical crosslinking copolymerizations and to estimate kinetic parameters in the pre-gelation period.     

Kinetics of heterogeneous free-radical polymerization of vinylidene chloride

Poly(vinylidene chloride) precipitates as a crystalline phase during the polymerization reaction. Under the conditions studied, this phase is made up of complex particles with a lamellar substructure. The detailed morphology is very sensitive to reaction medium. The morphology developed by particles formed during polymerization of vinylidene chloride in dioxane suggests a mechanism of polymerization followed by crystallization. The morphology observed in mass polymerization suggests that both processes occurs simultaneously. Kinetic data, however, suggest a solid-phase reaction mechanism for both cases. The results are analyzed by comparison with a model that takes into account the solid-phase morphology. The theoretical analysis is consistent with experimental results if it is assumed that polymerization occurs on the edges of the lamellar crystals.     

Synthesis and free-radical polymerization of water-soluble acrylamide monomers

Water-soluble acrylamide monomers N-(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide, N-(hydroxymethyl)methacrylamide, N,N-diethanolacrylamide, N,N-diethanolmethacrylamide, N,N-methylethanolacrylamide, and N,N-methylethanolmethacrylamide have been synthesized and characterized. The kinetics and thermodynamics of the free-radical polymerization of these monomers and of the model compounds N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylamide have been studied by the methods of isothermal and scanning calorimetry. The structure and the solubility of the said polymers in water and organic solvents have been investigated and their molecular-mass characteristics and temperatures of glass transition (T _g) and melting (T _m) have been examined by DSC, liquid chromatography, ¹H NMR and IR spectroscopy, and chemical analysis of functional groups. Hydrogels and amphiphilic network polymers based on acrylamide monomers have been prepared and characterized.     

Solvent effects on the spectroscopic properties of 4-hexylresorcinol

A study was made on the spectroscopic properties of 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR) in several solvents at room temperature. Absorption and emission spectra were slightly affected by solvent polarity. Stokes' shifts were small (approximately 3000 cm(-1)) and the fluorescence quantum yields varied between 0.05 and 0.68, depending on the solvent. The spectral shifts were correlated with different solvent scales. Multiple regression analysis indicates that both non-specific solute-solvent interactions as well as specific solute-solvent interactions (such as hydrogen bonding) play an important role in the position of the Stokes' shift and on the fluorescence quantum yield in the solvents under study.     

Solvent effects in the polymerization of propylene catalyzed by octahedral complexes

The effect of solvents (toluene, dichloromethane, and hexane) was studied on the polymerization of propylene with the octahedral complexes bis(trimethylsilyl)benzamidinate titanium dichloride(a), bis(acetylacetonate) titanium dichloride(b), and bis(diethylamino) titanium di‐2‐(diphenylphosphanylamino)pyridine as catalytic precursors and methylalumoxane as the cocatalyst. For comparison, the polymerization was also performed in plain liquid propylene without the addition of any solvent. The obtained polymers were fractionated by refluxing hexane. The activity of the complexes and the molecular weights and tacticities of the whole polymers and their different fractions were the studied parameters. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4505–4516, 2005