Copolymerization of styrene

In all manufacturing processes, grafting is achieved by the free-radical copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile monomers in the presence of an elastomer. Ungrafted styrene—acrylonitrile copolymer is formed during graft polymerization and/or added afterward. 

GopolymeriZation Initiators. The copolymerization of styrene and dienes in hydrocarbon solution with alkyUithium initiators produces a tapered block copolymer stmcture because of the large differences in monomer reactivity ratios for styrene (r < 0.1) and dienes (r > 10) (1,33,34). In order to obtain random copolymers of styrene and dienes, it is necessary to either add small amounts of a Lewis base such as tetrahydrofuran or an alkaU metal alkoxide (MtOR, where Mt = Na, K, Rb, or Cs). In contrast to Lewis bases which promote formation of undesirable vinyl microstmcture in diene polymerizations (57), the addition of small amounts of an alkaU metal alkoxide such as potassium amyloxide ([ROK]/[Li] = 0.08) is sufficient to promote random copolymerization of styrene and diene without producing significant increases in the amount of vinyl microstmcture (58,59). 

Sodium is a catalyst for many polymerizations the two most familiar are the polymerization of 1,2-butadiene (the Buna process) and the copolymerization of styrene—butadiene mixtures (the modified GRS process). The alfin catalysts, made from sodium, give extremely rapid or unusual polymerizations of some dienes and of styrene (qv) (133—137) (see Butadiene Elastomers, synthetic Styrene plastics). 

Pig. 13. Incorporation of photosensitive ketone groups into PS during manufacture by copolymerization of styrene and vinyl ketone. 

Pig. 14. Preparation of biodegradable PS by incorporating ester linkages into the backbone via ring-opening copolymerization of styrene with a cycHc ketene... 

Other miscellaneous compounds that have been used as inhibitors are sulfur and certain sulfur compounds (qv), picryUiydrazyl derivatives, carbon black, and a number of soluble transition-metal salts (151). Both inhibition and acceleration have been reported for styrene polymerized in the presence of oxygen. The complexity of this system has been clearly demonstrated (152). The key reaction is the alternating copolymerization of styrene with oxygen to produce a polyperoxide, which at above 100°C decomposes to initiating alkoxy radicals. Therefore, depending on the temperature, oxygen can inhibit or accelerate the rate of polymerization. 

Solution Polymerization These processes may retain the polymer in solution or precipitate it. Polyethylene is made in a tubular flow reactor at supercritical conditions so the polymer stays in solution. In the Phillips process, however, after about 22 percent conversion when the desirable properties have been attained, the polymer is recovered and the monomer is flashed off and recyled (Fig. 23-23 ). In another process, a solution of ethylene in a saturated hydrocarbon is passed over a chromia-alumina catalyst, then the solvent is separated and recyled. Another example of precipitation polymerization is the copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in methanol. Also, an aqueous solution of acrylonitrile makes a precipitate of polyacrylonitrile on heating to 80°C (176°F). 

SBR is produced by addition copolymerization of styrene and butadiene monomers in either emulsion or solution process. The styrene/butadiene ratio controls the glass transition temperature (To) of the copolymer and thus its stiffness. T ... 

Group of plastics whose resins are derived from the polymerization of styrene or the copolymerization of styrene with various unsaturated compounds. 

The soapless seeded emulsion copolymerization method was used for producing uniform microspheres prepared by the copolymerization of styrene with polar, functional monomers [115-117]. In this series, polysty-rene-polymethacrylic acid (PS/PMAAc), poly sty rene-polymethylmethacrylate-polymethacrylic acid (PS/ PMMA/PMAAc), polystyrene-polyhydroxyethylmeth-acrylate (PS/PHEMA), and polystyrene-polyacrylic acid (PS/PAAc) uniform copolymer microspheres were synthesized by applying a multistage soapless emulsion polymerization process. The composition and the average size of the uniform copolymer latices prepared by multistage soapless emulsion copolymerization are given in Table 11. 

Table 2 Copolymerization of Styrene with MMA [43] Initiated by Pyridinium Dicyanomethylylide ...

By means of a ring-opening polymerization of the condensation type Vlasov et al. [50] synthesized polypeptide based MAIs with azo groups in the polymeric backbone. The method is based on the reaction of a hydracide derivative of AIBN and a N-carboxy anhydride. Containing one central azo group in the polymer main chain, the polymeric azo initiator was used for initiating block copolymerizations of styrene and various methacrylamides. 

The copolymerization of styrene and the dienes in hydrocarbons was first investigated by Korotkov 43) who reported an unexpected phenomenon. The polymeriza-... 

The heterogeneous copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in various diluents as reported by Riess and Desvalois (22). Although the copolymer composition in these studies was not strongly influenced by the diluent choice, the preferential adsorption of acrylonitrile monomer onto the polymer particles shifted the azeotropic copolymerization point from the 38 mole % acrylonitrile observed in solution to 55 mole % acrylonitrile. 

The data analyzed in this work were reported by Hill et al. ( ) for the copolymerization of styrene with acrylonitrile. They are shown in Table III in the form of triad fractions measured by C-NMR for copolymers produced at various feed compositions. One reason for choosing this particular dataset is that the authors did indicate the error structure of their measurement. 

Yin et al. [73,74] prepared new microgel star amphiphiles and stndied the compression behavior at the air-water interface. Particles were prepared in a two-step process. First, the gel core was synthesized by copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in diox-ane using benzoylperoxide as initiator. Microgel particles 20 run in diameter were obtained. Second, the gel core was grafted with acrylic or methacryUc acid by free radical polymerization, resulting in amphiphilic polymer particles. These particles were spread from a dimethylformamide/chloroform (1 4) solution at the air-water interface. tt-A cnrves indicated low compressibility above lOmNm and collapse pressnres larger than 40 mNm With increase of the hydrophilic component, the molecnlar area of the polymer and the collapse pressure increased. 

C13-0110. Copolymerization of styrene with a small amount of divinylbenzene gives a cross-linked polymer that is hard and insoluble. Draw a picture of this polymer that shows at least tw o cross-links. 

Fig. 27.—The rate of copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate at 60°C in the presence of azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (1 g./l.) plotted against the mole fraction of styrene. Broken line has been calculated from Eq. (26) assuming < = 1. Solid line represents calculated curve for 0 = 13. (Walling. q...

Two free radical-initiated polymerizations are used in turn as examples the homopolymerization of methyl methaK rylate and the copolymerization of styrene n-butyl methacrylate. 

To study the bulk copolymerization of styrene n-butyl methacrylate both conventional and unconventional GPC analyses were used. The normally obtained chromatograms, (from dual U.V. detectors) primarily provided area ratios intficative of composition as a function of retention volume. However, even this information was only obtainable after average compositions had been otherwise determined. Furthermore, in general, since the GPC normally separates on the basis of hydrodynamic volume, the polydispersity of aU polymer molecular properties at e h retention time is of serious concern. 

A radical initiator based on the oxidation adduct of an alkyl-9-BBN (47) has been utilized to produce poly(methylmethacrylate) (48) (Fig. 31) from methylmethacrylate monomer by a living anionic polymerization route that does not require the mediation of a metal catalyst. The relatively broad molecular weight distribution (PDI = (MJM ) 2.5) compared with those in living anionic polymerization cases was attributed to the slow initiation of the polymerization.69 A similar radical polymerization route aided by 47 was utilized in the synthesis of functionalized syndiotactic polystyrene (PS) polymers by the copolymerization of styrene.70 The borane groups in the functionalized syndiotactic polystyrenes were transformed into free-radical initiators for the in situ free-radical graft polymerization to prepare s-PS-g-PMMA graft copolymers. 

Poly(azophenylene-o-carborane) (see 6) has been prepared from diphenyl-o-carborane by means of nitration, reduction, and acylation to initially give 1,2-bis(/ -nitroso-acetylaminophenyl)-o-carborane (NAFC). Rapid decomposition in solution affords phenylene amino phenyl carborane (PAFC) by recombination of phenylene and azophenylene radicals.40 These radicals have also been utilized to form copolymers of carborane-containing copolymers from monomers polymerizable via radical mechanisms. Thus, copolymers of polystyrene and poly(azophenylene) can be readily formed by means of emulsion copolymerization of styrene with NAFC decomposition products. 

Polystyrene-g-poly(ethylene oxide) was synthesized by the copolymerization of styrene and styrenic PEO with CpTiCb/MAO catalyst [190]. In this case the macromonomer was prepared by first reacting the sodium salt of PEO-OH with NaH and then with a 5-fold amount of p-chloromethyl styrene. 

Kureshy developed a polymer-based chiral Mn-salen complex (Figure 21). Copolymerization of styrene, divinylbenzene, and 4-vinylpyridine generated highly cross-linked (50%) porous beads loaded with pyridine ligands at 3.8 mmol g-1. Once the polymer was charged with the metal complex catalyst, enantioselective epoxidation of styrene derivatives was achieved with ee values in the range 16 46%. 79... 

For the first time attention to the highly important role played by the thermodynamic factors in the formation of macromolecules during copolymerization was drawn almost a quarter of a century ago [52], When investigating the copolymerization of styrene with methacrylic acid in a solution of CCI4 and in a solution of dioxane in the region of low conversions, the authors established that copolymers with the same composition had an identical microstructure regardless of the solvent type and of the monomer molar ratio... 

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