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Influence of centrifugal field on free-radical polymerization kinetics

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Kamelia Boodhoo, Dr Roshan Jachuck

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Abstract

It has been observed that when a prepolymer mix of styrene, poly(styrene), toluene, and benzoyl peroxide is transferred from a conventional stirred tank reactor (STR) to a spinning disc reactor (SDR), the rate of polymerization is substantially increased. Furthermore, the molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution of the polymer formed at conversions up to about 80% in the SDR is virtually unchanged from that of the polymer formed at 60% conversion in the STR. These results seem to indicate that the increase in polymerization rate is not the result of the well-known Trommsdorff-Norrish effect, which would be expected to lead to an increase in poly-dispersity. We believe that shear and centrifugal forces experienced by the film provide intense mixing and extension flow effects, which are responsible for the above-described observations. In this report an explanation has been put forward to describe the observed effects.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Jachuck RJ; Boodhoo KVK; Dunk WAE

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Applied Polymer Science

Year: 2002

Volume: 85

Issue: 11

Pages: 2283-2286

ISSN (print): 0021-8995

ISSN (electronic): 1097-4628

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.10847

DOI: 10.1002/app.10847

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