Reactivity ratio emulsion

As shown in figure 5, the average compositions, using "solu-tionM reactivity ratios (0.13 and 0.34) and taking into account monomer contents within particles (curves 1 and 2), correspond well to experiments, and are quite different from the ones calculated from "emulsion reactivity ratios" (0.1 and 0.44)(curves 5 and 6). 

An emulsion model that assumes the locus of reaction to be inside the particles and considers the partition of AN between the aqueous and oil phases has been developed (50). The model predicts copolymerization results very well when bulk reactivity ratios of 0.32 and 0.12 for styrene and acrylonitrile, respectively, ate used. 

Vinyhdene chloride copolymerizes randomly with methyl acrylate and nearly so with other acrylates. Very severe composition drift occurs, however, in copolymerizations with vinyl chloride or methacrylates. Several methods have been developed to produce homogeneous copolymers regardless of the reactivity ratio (43). These methods are appHcable mainly to emulsion and suspension processes where adequate stirring can be maintained. Copolymerization rates of VDC with small amounts of a second monomer are normally lower than its rate of homopolymerization. The kinetics of the copolymerization of VDC and VC have been studied (45—48). 

Distribution of the monomer units in the polymer is dictated by the reactivity ratios of the two monomers. In emulsion polymerization, which is the only commercially significant process, reactivity ratios have been reported (4). IfMj = butadiene andM2 = acrylonitrile, then = 0.28, and r2 =0.02 at 5°C. At 50°C, Tj = 0.42 and = 0.04. As would be expected for a combination where = near zero, this monomer pair has a strong tendency toward alternation. The degree of alternation of the two monomers increases as the composition of the polymer approaches the 50/50 molar ratio that alternation dictates (5,6). Another complicating factor in defining chemical stmcture is the fact that butadiene can enter the polymer chains in the cis (1), trans (2), or vinyl(l,2) (3) configuration ... 

Compositionally uniform copolymers of tributyltin methacrylate (TBTM) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) are produced in a free running batch process by virtue of the monomer reactivity ratios for this combination of monomers (r (TBTM) = 0.96, r (MMA) = 1.0 at 80°C). Compositional ly homogeneous terpolymers were synthesised by keeping constant the instantaneous ratio of the three monomers in the reactor through the addition of the more reactive monomer (or monomers) at an appropriate rate. This procedure has been used by Guyot et al 6 in the preparation of butadiene-acrylonitrile emulsion copolymers and by Johnson et al (7) in the solution copolymerisation of styrene with methyl acrylate. 

In homogeneous copolymerization, the instantaneous composition of copolymer is decided only by monomer reactivity ratio. On the contrary, in emulsion copolymerization, the copolymer composition depends not only on the monomer reactivity ratio but also on the distribution of monomers between oil (polymer-monomer particles) and aqueous phases (18). 

Polymerization Results. A batch polymerization of MMA-MAA comonomer was analyzed for the determination of the reactivity ratios of the two monomers. The change in the ratio of the copolymer composition determined by GC was plotted against conversion as shown in Figure 1. Similarly, the calculated curves for some assumed reactivity ratios are also shown in the same Figure. The optimum values of the reactivity ratio for the emulsion poly-... 

Previous kinetic study of emulsion copolymerization of styrene (S) and acrylonitrile (AN) leads us to determine (4) the reactivity ratios as ... 

The copolymerization of monomers where one of the monomers acts as the hydrophobe was reported by Reimers and Schork [26]. MMA was copolymerized with p-methylstyrene, vinyl hexanoate, or vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate. The resulting copolymer composition tended to follow the predictions of the reactivity ratios, i.e., the reaction progresses as a bulk reaction. In contrast, copolymer compositions obtained from the (macro)emulsion copolymerizations tended to be more influenced by the relative water solubility of the comonomer and mass transfer. Wu and Schork used monomer combinations with large differences in reactivity ratios and water solubility vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate,... 

Schuller [150] and Guillot [98] both observed that the copolymer compositions obtained from emulsion polymerization reactions did not agree with the Mayo Lewis equation, where the reactivity ratios were obtained from homogeneous polymerization experiments. They concluded that this is due to the fact that the copolymerization equation can be used only for the exact monomer concentrations at the site of polymerization. Therefore, Schuller defined new reactivity ratios, TI and T2, to account for the fact that the monomer concentrations in a latex particle are dependent on the monomer partition coefficients (fCj and K2) and the monomer-to-water ratio (xp) ... 

However, this does not preclude mini emulsion copolymerization in a CSTR for extremely water-insoluble comonomers. In spite of the fact that the copolymer composition in the continuous miniemulsion is less than that predicted using the homogeneous copolymerization reactivity ratios, the miniemulsion copolymer might be more uniform than the macroemulsion copolymer, where the possibility of significant droplet nucleation could lead to two separate homopolymers or, at the very best, copolymers of various composition. Therefore, it is very important to use CSTR data to scale up a continuous miniemulsion copolymerization product to take into account the different particle growth kinetics for batch and continuous reactors. 

The microstructure of acrylamide-sodium acrylate copolymers was determined by NMR (36). The monomer sequence distribution was found to conform to Bernouillian statistics and the reactivity ratios of both monomers were close to unity. These results which differ from those obtained for copolymers prepared in solution or emulsion (37) confirmed a polymerization process by nucleation and interparticular collisions. 

The copolymer composition equation is written in terms of monomer concentrations at the locus of reaction. The same reactivity ratios should apply in principle whether the polymerization is carried out in bulk, solution, suspension, or emulsion systems. In general, the only concentration values available to the experimenter are the overall bulk figures. Deviations of copolymer composition can be expected, therefore, if the concentrations at the polymerization sites differ from these figures. This can occur in emulsion systems, for example, if the monomers differ appreciably in aqueous solubility and diffusion rates. 

The copolymer composition may drift during the course of an emulsion copolymerization because of differences in monomer reactivity ratios or water solubilities. Various techniques have been developed to produce a uniform copolymer composition. The feed composition may be continuously or periodically enriched in a particular monomer, to compensate for its lower reactivity. A much more common procedure involves pumping the monomers into the reactor at such a rate that the extent of conversion is always very high [>about 90%]. This way, the polymer composition is always that of the last increment of the monomer feed. 

Copolymers. The copolsmers were prepared by emulsion polymerization in a "pop bottle" polymerizer at 80° C using sodium aryl alkyl sulphonate (Ultrawet K) as emulsifier and ammonium persulphate as catalyst. The polymerizations were carried to greater than 95% conversion (4-8 hr) and the feed concentrations of the vinyl ketones were taken as their concentrations in the polymer. Copolymers containing 1% and 5% by weight of vinyl ketones were prepared. The cqsolymers were not homogeneous in ketone concentration since the reactivity ratios indicated that the vinyl ketones would be used ip before the end of the polymerizations. Thin films were prepared for irradiation by compression molding in a Carver Press at 150° C at 20,000 psi. The films were usually 0.22 mm thick. 

Copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and carboxylated perfluorovinyl ether is carried out either in solution, bulk or emulsion system with a radical initiator. A typical copolymer composition curve is given in Figure 1, where Ml or M2 was copolymerized with tetrafluoroethylene in bulk system at 70°C. The monomer reactivity ratios of tetrafluoroethylene and each vinyl ether are calculated as 7.0 and 0.14, respectively. 

In the nonaqueous polymerization processes that are conducted in organic solvent or diluent, many of the carboxyl-containing monomers cited have successfully been used in the preparation of ASNE and HASNE ASTs. Reactivity ratios, rates of reaction, monomer-polymer solubilities, economics, and degree of polymerization were among the criteria considered in monomer selection. However, in the important aqueous processes of suspension and particularly emulsion polymerization, the water solubility and hydrophilicity of the carboxylic monomer was found to be of considerable importance. Fordyce and Ham (13) observed that a significant portion of itaconic acid polymerized in the aqueous phase when emulsion polymerization was carried out with styrene. Fordyce et al. (9, 10) reported that... 

On the other hand, when dealing with heterogeneous systems (e.g., suspension or emulsion polymerizations), it is important not to confuse thermodynamic effects of monomer partitioning among phases with variations in reactivity ratios. For the calculation of these, the concentrations of the monomers at the reaction site should be considered (at the particles) instead of global concentrations in the system. 

The emulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate has received considerable attention. The butyl acrylate confers improved film forming characteristics to the polymer. The disparities in their water solubilities and of their individual polymerization rates may help to explain the variations in reactivity ratios that have been reported [170,171]. The variation in reactivity ratios may also by related to the following observations The reaction method has an effect on the morphology of the polymer particles. In a batch emulsion process, a butyl acrylate—rich core is formed which is surrounded by a vinyl acetate-rich shell, in a process in which the monomers are fed into the reactor in a semicontinuous manner, particles form with a more uniform distribution of the monomers [172]. The kinetics for a batch process indicates that the initially formed polymer is indeed high in butyl acrylate. As this monomer is used up, eventually a copolymer high in vinyl acetate develops. It is this latter polymer which forms the final shell around the particles. 

Let us first ignore contributions from monomer partitioning and examine the effects of conversion upon copolymer composition. In most cases, thCTe will be a difference in monomer reactivities (Le. reactivity ratios 1) and a consequent drift in copolymer composition with conversion as the more reactive monomer is consumed preferentially (see Section 1.6.3). Since the total quantity of each monomer is added at the beginning of a batch emulsion polymerization, there is no control over this drift in copolymer composition. Hence, copolymors formed using batch processes can have quite broad composition distributions, the breadth of the distribution for each particular system depending upon the monomer reactivity ratios, the initial comonom composition and monomer partitioning (which is dealt with in Section 7.3.2.2). 

In the previous section, copolymer eomposition drift was discussed without considering the effects of differences in the water solubility of the monomers. This can lead to soious aims in the modelling of emulsion copolymerization and failure to account for partitioning is a source of uncert ty in many of the values of reactivity ratios de mined from pulsion polymmzation data. 

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