Kinetics of emulsion copolymerization of methylmethacrylate and ethylacrylate: effect of type and concentration of initiator in unseeded polymerization system

The free radical emulsion copolymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and ethylacrylate (EA) initiated by a water-soluble initiator (potassium persulphate, KPS) at 50 °C in the presence of anionic emulsifier above critical micelle concentration under constant stirring speed in an inert atmosphere is investigated. The effect of blend of KPS and oil-soluble initiators KPS+2,2^′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN)] is also examined. The order of the interval-II polymerization rate (R_p) is found to be 0.76±0.03 in KPS initiation alone and 0.72±0.04 in presence of fixed concentration of AIBN under similar experimental condition. On the other hand, interestingly, the rate of polymerization is found to be propotional to the 0.40th power of the AIBN concentration in presence of fixed concentration of KPS. The kinetic features of the present investigation indicate that probably the radical desorption is relatively facile and also the cage effect may be operative under high conversions (i.e. in polymer particles) in this MMA/EA emulsion copolymerization system. It is also found that the polydispersity index of polymer is being influenced by the type and concentration of initiators.