Step-growth polymerization reaction engineering

Gupta, S. K. Kumar, A. (1987) Reaction Engineering of Step Growth Polymerization. Plenum Press, New York. 

This conclusion is widely applicable. Where possible, step-growth polymerizations are carried out with the least expensive monomers and are accelerated by resort to high reaction temperatures and catalysts, when these are available. Further consideration of reaction engineering in such polymerizations is given in Chapter 10. 

Step-growth polymerization is a very important method for the preparation of some of the most important engineering and specialty polymers. Polymers such as polyamides [7], poly(ethylene terephthalate) [8], polycarbonates [9], polyurethanes [10], polysiloxanes [11], polyimides [12], phenol polymers and resins, urea, and melamine-formaldehyde polymers can be obtained by step-growth polymerization through different types of reactions such as esterification, polyamidation, formylation, substitution, and hydrolysis. A detailed list of reaction types is shown in Table 3.2. 

The production of polyolefins by means of coordination polymerization, which is the highest tonnage polymerization process, is discussed first. The following chapters present the production of polymers by free-radical polymerization in homogeneous, heterogeneous and dispersed (suspension and emulsion) media. Afterwards, the reaction engineering of step-growth polymerization is discussed. The last chapter is devoted to the control of polymerization reactors. 

Gupta, S.K. and A. Kumar, Reaction Engineering of Step-Growth Polymerizations, Plenum, New York, 1987. 

Reaction Engineering of Step Growth Polymerization, S. K. Gupta and A. Kumar (Eds.), Plenum, New York, 1987. Seymour, R. B., and Carraher, C. E., Jr., Polymer Chemistry, 2nd ed., Marcel Dekker, New York, 1988. 

Khanna, A., and A. Kumar, Solution of Step Growth Polymerization with Finite Mass in Films with Vapour Liquid Equilibrium at the Interface in Polymer Reaction Engineering, in Pol3mier Reaction Engineering, K. H. Reichert and W. Griseler (eds.), VCH, Berlin, 1989. 

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