Free radical vinyl polymerization kinetic model

In general, a polymerization process model consists of material balances (component rate equations), energy balances, and additional set of equations to calculate polymer properties (e.g., molecular weight moment equations). The kinetic equations for a typical linear addition polymerization process include initiation or catalytic site activation, chain propagation, chain termination, and chain transfer reactions. The typical reactions that occur in a homogeneous free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers and coordination polymerization of olefins are illustrated in Table 2. 

Kinetic models determine the state of cure by predicting the concentration of reacting species from the solution of differential equations for each reacting species. Mikos et al. (1986) and Tobita and Hamielec (1989) have developed kinetic models for vinyl and free-radical network systems. Chain-growth polymerization has also been modelled through kinetic simulations by Okay (1994). 

Case Study 2 Comparison of Mathematical Models FOR Free Radical Homopolymerization of Vinyl Monomers in scCOj In this case study, a comparison of performance of the different kinetic models proposed in the literature for dispersion polymerization of styrene and MMA in SCCO2 is presented. The models used by Quintero-Ortega et al. [43] (models 1 and 2) and those presented by the groups of Kiparissides [47] (model 3) and Morbidelli... 

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