| Abstract: | Ethyl methacrylate is polymerized by electroinitiation in methanol–electrolyte mixtures in which the monomer is soluble whereas the polymer obtained is insoluble. A technique of changing the polarity of the electrodes is used. With this technique a polymer of high molecular weight can be obtained. The relationships between molecular weight and monomer concentration, current densities, and time of the reaction as well as the yield as a function of current density, time of the reaction and initial monomer concentration are given. A free-radical mechanism is proposed for the reaction. |
