Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with 2,2-Azobisisobutyronitrile in Bulk

Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with 2,2 -Azobisisobutyronitrile in Bulk 

Safety precautions Before this experiment is carried out, Sect. 2.2.5 must be read as well as the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals and products used. 

To start the experiment all the tubes are placed in a rack at the same time and allowed to warm to room temperature finally they are placed in a thermostat at 50 °C.The tubes are removed at intervals of 1 h and immediately cooled in an acetone/dry ice bath.The samples that are still fluid are diluted with approximately 50 ml of chloroform and dropped into about 500 ml of stirred heptane or petroleum ether. For the very viscous or solid samples 1-2 g are dissolved in 50-100 ml of chloroform and the solution is added dropwise to 500-1000 ml of heptane or petroleum ether with stirring.The polymers are filtered off and dried to constant weight in vacuum at 50 C.The yield, the limiting viscosity number (measured in chloroform at 20 °C) and the degree of polymerization are plotted against reaction time. 

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