| Abstract: | For emulsion polymerization in the zero order region (Interval II) a relation between the average number of free radicals per particle, n?(t), and the particle number average volume of a particle, v?n(t), is derived as dv?n(t)/dt = Kn?(t), where K is volume growth rate of a particle containing one free radical and is constant. This relation is also extended to copolymerization systems with an appropriate modification of the definition of K. By use of the data of particle size distribution (PSD), n? can be calculated without knowing the total number of particles. In conjunction with this relation, the recently developed light-scattering technique for measuring the PSD in addition to the conventional transmission electron microscope technique can provide a quick route for determination of n?. Styrene and methyl methacrylate emulsion homopolymerizations are taken as calculation examples. |
