1. Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of G?ttingen, Tammannstra?e 6, D‐37077 G?ttingen, Germany;2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Dupuis Hall, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
Abstract:
Batch radical polymerization of non‐ionized methacrylic acid, 30 wt.‐% in aqueous solution, has been studied at 50 °C and ambient pressure with 2‐mercaptoethanol (ME) as the chain‐transfer agent (CTA). Initial polymerization rate decreases with CTA concentration, which has been varied up to 20 mol‐%. A kinetic model is presented which includes chain‐length‐dependent termination and uses an empirical function to account for the dependence of termination rate on both monomer conversion and molar mass of the polymeric product. In conjunction with PREDICI simulation, this model affords for an adequate representation of the measured monomer conversion vs. time profiles.
