Drivers for Performing Polyacrylate Formation in Micro Reactors

1 Drivers for Performing Polyacrylate Formation in Micro Reactors 

Fouling is a major problem encoimtered during radical polymer formation [125]. High molecular-weight polymers, potentially of branched nature, form during polymerization and precipitate owing to their insolubility in the solvent. 

Fouling is only one result stemming from the influence of mixing on establishing local concentration profiles and their impact on the course of reaction [125]. Hence, in a more comprehensive view, micro mixing can affect the local concentration of initiator, monomer and additives. This should have an impact on the molecular weight distribution of the polymer formed. 

The mixing sensitivity of (fast) polymerizations is known and frequently described in literature. This is due to the fact that radical polymerizations typically take 1 s until chain termination [125]. However, typical mixing times of large-scale mixers, including conventional static mixers, are longer. Accordingly, the course of mixing has an effect on the product quality, i.e. the polymer-chain distribution. 

---