Continuous monitoring method ACOMP reactions

A first study of reaction kinetics with ACOMP was made for the semibatch emulsion polymerization of MMA at 70 °C [50]. The use of continuous monitoring method described in the previous sections offered a robust means of determining the characteristic features of the starved and flooded monomer conditions and identifying them during the experiments. 

The preceding two chapters have focused on the capabihties of automatic continuous online monitoring of polymerization reactions (ACOMP) in the area of polymerization monitoring. Related characterization challenges include time-dependent processes apart from polymerization reactions, behavior of multicomponent systems, and the issue of particulates coexisting with polymers. Recent methods for dealing with these issues are presented in this chapter. 

Based on continuous extraction and dilution of reactor content to produce a dilute stream through the detectors, the versatile ACOMP platform combines light scattering, spectroscopy, viscometry, and other methods to monitor, during polymeric materials synthesis, various features such as reaction kinetics, monomer conversion, composition drift, linear charge density, molar mass, intrinsic viscosity, and other characteristics. The examples discussed next illustrate a number of reaction contexts where fundamental measurements are used to gain a comprehensive picture of reaction characteristics. 

The computed concentrations from either one of the methods described earlier allowed the comonomer conversion, instantaneous composition drift, and copolymer molecular weight to be determined. It is important to point out the unique advantages ACOMP offers by providing continuously collected data that allow more detailed information about reaction kinetics to be obtained. Monitoring the evolution of molecular weight during reactions offered further means to assess deviations from ideal behavior. 

Reed and coworkers developed a strategy for automatic continuous online monitoring of polymerization (ACOMP). The method may be used during the initial development of the polymerization process, its optimization and monitoring of the continuous reaction. ACOMP automatically dilutes samples from the reactor and measures its properties, e.g., refractive index, near infrared (NIR) spectra, LSc, [ ]], etc., from which it computes evolution of MW, MWD, degree of conversion, copolymer composition (in copolymerization) and others. The method has been applied to a variety of the free radical homo- and co-polymerizations, including the reactions in emulsion or suspension. ... 

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