The Effect of Oxygen on Conversion in the Organic Peroxide-initiated High-Pressure Polymerization of Ethylene

To initiate the high-pressure polymerization of ethylene, oxygen is used together with organic peroxides in a number of tubular reactor processes. Since molecular oxygen is capable of promoting or inhibiting radical polymerization, depending on the reaction conditions chosen, controlled experiments were carried out to clarify these aspects of high pressure ethylene polymerization. In continuous polymerization tests carried out at 1700 bar and temperatures between 110 and 320°C, conversions were determined with tert-amyl perneodecanoate and di-tert-butyl peroxide initiation in the presence of various quantities of oxygen. Batch tests using a photo-initiator together with oxygen were also carried out. A comparison with polymerizations under conditions of careful elimination of oxygen shows no effect on the peroxide-initiated polymerization up to temperatures of 160 to 170°C. Although oxygen is an initiator at higher temperatures, the conversions obtained from the simultaneous addition of controlled quantities of oxygen and organic peroxides is lower than that obtained by adding together the conversions from the separate polymerizations.     

POLYMERIZATION OF PYRROLE ON POLYACRYLAMIDE ELECTRODES

Polymerization of pyrrole on a polyacrylamide (PAA) coated electrode was carried out in acetonitrile. Different compositions of semi-conducting, composite films of PAA/Polypyrrole (PP_y), were prepared by the electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole on PAA electrodes. The polymerization was possible only for a certain thickness of the polyacrylamide on the platinum. Conductivites of PAA/PP_y films at different compositions were obtained. The electrochemical properties of polypyrrole-poly-acrylamide (PP_y/PAA) composite films have been investigated by using cyclic voltammetry. The PP_y/PAA composite film is suitable as the electroactive material due to its stable and controllable electrochemical properties. The films were examined by FTIR spectroscopy. The topography of surface films were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The response behavior of PP_y/PAA films at different compositions when exposed to Ar, C₃H₈ and H₂ gases indicated that these films were only slightly sensitive to H₂ gas.     

SYNTHESIS OF MACROMONOMER USING END FUNCTIONAL POLYSTYRENE PREPARED FROM p-METHOXYBENZYL p-TRIMETHYL-SILYLPHENYL SELENIDE AS A PHOTOINIFERTER

The end functional polystyrene having phenylseleno group at ω-chain end was prepared from radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of p-methoxybenzyl p-trimethylsilylphenyl selenide as a photoiniferter. The phenylseleno group at ω-chain end in polystyrene was eliminated by hydrogen peroxide. The resulting polystyrene was interconverted quantitatively to polystyrene having epoxy end group by the oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid. The macromonomer having a meth-acryloyl end group was synthesized from polystyrene containing epoxy end group with methacrylic acid in xylene at 140°C. Copolymerization of this macromonomer with methyl methacrylate afforded effectively a graft copolymer composed of a poly-(methyl methacrylate) backbone and polystyrene branches.     

POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYLENE AND PROPYLENE WITH VCL4-BUTYLLITHIUM CATALYSTS

Polymerization of ethylene and propylene with VCl₄-BuLi (Bu = n-Bu, sec-Bu, tert-Bu) catalysts was investigated. The VCl₄-BuLi catalysts were found to initiate the polymerization of ethylene and propylene. The VCl₄-BuLi catalysts gave an ultra high molecular polyethylene. The effect of the Li /V mole ratio on the polymerization of ethylene with the VCl₄-BuLi catalysts was observed, an the catalyst gave an optimum rate at the Li/V ratio of about 3.0. The polyethylene obtained with the VCl₄-BuLi catalyst was found to be a linear structure. In the polymerization of propylene with the VCl₄-BuLi catalyst, the polymers contain mm contents of 56–66% were produced.     

Solvent-Polymer Interaction. II. Measurements of Liquid Solvent Molecules Associating with Polymer Sites and of Their Transport Behavior in Polymer Membrane by Thermogravimetry,GLC, and Mass Spectrometry

The measurement of sorption and diffusion behavior of liquid ethanol and water solvent mixtures in polyurethane membrane were made simultaneously by thermogravimetry. The individual amounts of sorbed water and ethanol in the polymer membrane were estimated by thermogravimetry and differentiated by mass spectrometry. In addition, from a single dynamic thermogravimetric experiment the activation energy for solvent molecules desorbing from the polymer membrane was also determined. The thermodynamic activity of ethanol vapor in equilibrium with the ethanol-water-polyurethane system was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The clustering functions, the mean numbers of solvent molecules in the clusters, and those associating with polymer sites were evaluated by applying simplified mathematical derivatives using the experimentally determined values of activity and volume fraction of solvent molecules. It was found that at lower ethanol concentration the tendency for ethanol molecules to cluster together is high. At higher ethanol activity, ethanol-polymer site interactions predominantly occurred.

Similar results were observed for ethanol-water molecules. However, water molecules in this particular system did not exhibit a self-associating tendency nor interact with the polymer sites. It was concluded that the Zimm-Lundberg clustering theory can be adequately applied to the interpretation of sorption and diffusion behavior of liquid ethanol-water mixtures in the polymer membrane.     

METHACRYLOYL DERIVITIZED HYPERBRANCHED POLYESTER. 1. SYNTHESIS,CHARACTERIZATION, AND COPOLYMERIZATION

Three hyperbranched multi-methacrylates (H20-MMA, H30-MMA and H40-MMA) have been synthesized by reacting Boltorn dendritic polyols with methacrylic anhydride and methacryloyl chloride. Their structures were characterized by FT-IR and NMR (¹H and ¹³C) and molecular weights were measured by GPC. These multi-methacrylates (H-MMAs) mixed well with a variety of monomers such as acrylic acid (AA), methacrylic acid (MA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), 2-hydroxy-ethyl methacrylate (HEMA), tri(ethylene glycol) dimethdimethacrylate (TEGDMA), and bisphenol A glycidyl dimethacrylate (BisGMA). The initial studies on thermal polymerization activities of 10% of H-MMAs with AA, MA, and MMA showed that they gave higher polymerization enthalpy than the corresponding homopolymerization. The resulting materials showed one glass transition temperature, indicating a typical single-phase resin. The H-MMAs can effectively copolymerize with AA, MA, and MMA, with essentially no homopolymers produced, as indicated by acetone extraction studies. This indicated that the hyperbranched multi-methacrylates have the potential to be used as crosslinking agents or modifiers with a number of monomers to produce new thermosets.     

MONOMETALLIC SOLVENT STABILIZED TRANSITION METAL CATIONS AS INITIATORS FOR CYCLOPENTADIENE POLYMERIZATION

Several mononuclear transition metal cations stabilized by acetonitrile molecules act as initiators for the polymerization of cyclopentadiene. The highest yield is reached with Cr, Mn, Fe, and Zn complexes, all of them in the oxidation state +II. The analogous V and Ni complexes, however, are completely or nearly inactive. In general, the observed activity of the examined monomeric complexes correlates well with the ligand field stabilization energy as a function of the number of d electrons for octahedrally coordinated transition metals in the oxidation state +II. The counter ions have a pronounced influence on the catalytic activity: the less coordinating they are, the higher is the activity of the cations. The reaction temperature also has a significant influence: above 50°C the complex activity is on decline, possibly due to initiator decomposition or com-petitive inhibition by dicyclopentadiene.     

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF COPOLYMERS FROM 1-[3,5-BIS(TRIMETHYLSILYL)PHENYL]-2-PHENYLACETYLENE

Copolymerization of 1-[3,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]-2-phenylacetylene (m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA) with other diphenylacetylene derivatives and their copolymer properties were investigated. Homopolymerization of m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA by TaCl₅─n-Bu₄Sn (1:2) did not give the polymer due to steric hindrance. However, m,m-(Me₃Si)2DPA copolymerized with diphenylacetylene (DPA), 1-phenyl-2-[p-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acetylene (p-Me₃Si DPA), and 1-phenyl-2-[m-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl]acety-lene (m-Me₃SiDPA) in the presence of TaCl₅─n-Bu₄Sn at various feed ratios to give copolymers in moderate yields. The formed copolymers were yellow to orange solids, which were soluble in common organic solvents such as toluene and CHCl₃. The highest weight-average molecular weights (M_w) of these copolymers reached ca. 6 × 105 and tough films could be obtained by solution casting. Their onset temperatures of weight loss in air were observed around 400°C, indicating high thermal stability. The oxygen permeability coefficients at 25°C of copoly(m,m-(Me₃Si)₂ DPA/DPA) (feed ratio 1:1) and copoly(m,m-(Me₃Si)₂DPA/p-Me₃SiDPA) (feed ratio 1:2) were 21 and 100 barrers, respectively, medium in magnitude among polymers from substituted acetylenes.     

KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF PHASE TRANSFER CATALYZED FREE RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF METHYL ACRYLATE

The kinetics of free radical polymerization of methylacrylate (MA) was investigated using benzyltributylammonium chloride (BTBAC) as phase transfer catalyst and potassium peroxydisulfate as initiator at aconstant temperature, 60°C, in an inert atmosphere under unstirred condition. The effect of concentrations of the monomer, initiator and the catalyst on polymerization was discussed and a mechanism of polymerization has been proposed. The order with respect to the monomer, initiator, and phase transfer catalyst was found to be 2, 0.5, and 0.5, respectively.     

Cyclic Acetal-Photosensitized Polymerization. 9. Photopolymerization of Triallylidene Sorbitol

Abstract

The photopolymerization of triallylidene sorbitol (TAS) was carried out in benzene at 40°C without the usual initiator. The polymerization of TAS was found to be initiated with the ester radical generated via the acetal radical from TAS by means of photoirradiation. The rate of polymerization and the molecular weight of polymer were small due to the degradative chain transfer, It was kinetically investigated from the standpoints of the degradative chain transfer by the allylidene group and the cyclization by three double bonds. The following results were obtained: (1) The relation between the rate of polymerization, R_p, the monomer concentration, [M], could be expressed by [M] /R_p = (A[M] + B)/(3[M] + C), where A, B, and C were constant; (2) the ratio of the rate constant of unimolecular cyclization to the total rate constant of bimolecular propagation and the chain transfer of uncyclized radical was estimated to be 3.0 mol/dm³. A small amount of cyclopolymerization took place.