Styrene polymers description

Olig omerization and Polymerization. Siace an aHyl radical is stable, linear a-olefins are not readily polymerized by free-radical processes such as those employed ia the polymerization of styrene. However, ia the presence of Ziegler-Natta catalysts, these a-olefins can be smoothly converted to copolymers of various descriptions. Addition of higher olefins during polymerization of ethylene is commonly practiced to yield finished polymers with improved physical characteristics. 

There are two problems in the manufacture of PS removal of the heat of polymeriza tion (ca 700 kj /kg (300 Btu/lb)) of styrene polymerized and the simultaneous handling of a partially converted polymer symp with a viscosity of ca 10 mPa(=cP). The latter problem strongly aggravates the former. A wide variety of solutions to these problems have been reported for the four mechanisms described earlier, ie, free radical, anionic, cationic, and Ziegler, several processes can be used. Table 6 summarizes the processes which have been used to implement each mechanism for Hquid-phase systems. Free-radical polymerization of styrenic systems, primarily in solution, is of principal commercial interest. Details of suspension processes, which are declining in importance, are available (208,209), as are descriptions of emulsion processes (210) and summaries of the historical development of styrene polymerization processes (208,211,212). 

Copolymers of acrylonitrile [107-13-1] are used in extmsion and molding appHcations. Commercially important comonomers for barrier appHcations include styrene and methyl acrylate. As the comonomer content is increased, the permeabiUties increase as shown in Figure 3. These copolymers are not moisture-sensitive. Table 7 contains descriptions of three high nitrile barrier polymers. Barex and Cycopac resins are mbber-modified to improve the mechanical properties. 

The non-aqueous system of spherical micelles of poly(styrene)(PS)-poly-(isoprene)(PI) in decane has been investigated by Farago et al. and Kanaya et al. [298,299]. The data were interpreted in terms of corona brush fluctuations that are described by a differential equation formulated by de Gennes for the breathing mode of tethered polymer chains on a surface [300]. A fair description of S(Q,t) with a minimum number of parameters could be achieved. Kanaya et al. [299] extended the investigation to a concentrated (30%, PI volume fraction) PS-PI micelle system and found a significant slowing down of the relaxation. The latter is explained by a reduction of osmotic compressibihty in the corona due to chain overlap. 

Latexes are usually copolymer systems of two or more monomers, and their total solids content, including polymers, emulsifiers, stabilizers etc. is 40-50% by mass. Most commercially available polymer latexes are based on elastomeric and thermoplastic polymers which form continuous polymer films when dried [88]. The major types of latexes include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyacrylic ester (PAE) and epoxy resin (EP) which are available both as emulsions and redispersible powders. They are widely used for bridge deck overlays and patching, as adhesives, and integral waterproofers. A brief description of the main types in current use is as follows [87]. 

Polymers. The polymers used in the blending experiments were prepared by anionic polymerization using an alkyllithium initiator and a chemical randomizing agent to control monomer sequence, in the manner described by Hsieh and Wofford (3). Randomness was checked in each case by measuring the styrene content as a function of conversion. Table I gives descriptive data for these polymers. 

This model was used in dispersion polymerization to predict the size of polymer particles stabilized through grafting on hydrophilic polymers such as PVPo. It provides a reasonable description of, for example, PVPo-stabilized polymerization of styrene in polar solvents. The present model does not apply to other types of dispersion polymerization where grafted comb or block copolymer stabilizers are active. The key controlling parameters in this model are the availability of graft and the minimum and maximum coverage, Qmin and Qmax. 

Of the 17 billion lb of butadiene consumed in 1999, almost two thirds went into the production of elastomers (styrene-butadiene latex rubber (SBR), polybutadiene, nitrile, and polychloroprene). Adiponitrile, ABS resins, styrene-butadiene latex, styrene block copolymers, and other smaller polymer uses accounted for the remainder. The largest single use was for styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBR and latex). Most of it was made by an emulsion process using a free-radical initiator and a styrene-butadiene ratio of about 1 3. More detailed description of the rubber and polymer used can be found in Chapters 16 and 15. 

The standard molecular structural parameters that one would like to control in block copolymer structures, especially in the context of polymeric nanostructures, are the relative size and nature of the blocks. The relative size implies the length of the block (or degree of polymerization, i.e., the number of monomer units contained within the block), while the nature of the block requires a slightly more elaborate description that includes its solubility characteristics, glass transition temperature (Tg), relative chain stiffness, etc. Using standard living polymerization methods, the size of the blocks is readily controlled by the ratio of the monomer concentration to that of the initiator. The relative sizes of the blocks can thus be easily fine-tuned very precisely to date the best control of these parameters in block copolymers is achieved using anionic polymerization. The nature of each block, on the other hand, is controlled by the selection of the monomer for instance, styrene would provide a relatively stiff (hard) block while isoprene would provide a soft one. This is a consequence of the very low Tg of polyisoprene compared to that of polystyrene, which in simplistic terms reflects the relative conformational stiffness of the polymer chain. 

Polymerization reactions require stringent operating conditions for continuous production of quality resins. In this paper the chain-growth polymerization of styrene initiated with n-butyllithium in the presence of a solvent is described. A perfectly mixed isothermal, constant volume reactor is employed. Coupled kinetic relationships descriptive of the initiator, monomer, polystyryl anion and polymer mass concentration are simulated. Trommsdorff effects (1) are incorporated. Controlled variables include number average molecular weight and production rate of total polymer. Manipulated variables are flow rate, input monomer concentration, and input initiator concentration. The... 

Structure on hydrogel properties of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate determined. " Polymers bearing tertiary amino groups have been synthesised and their fluorescence spectra found to be significantly quenched while maleic anhydride " and cyclododecanones have been found to be effective initiators of the photopolymerisation of styrene. Poly(methylphenylsilane) is also an effective photoinitiator for styrenes and acrylates via a photolytic process to give silyl radicals. Iron oxalate is also an effective photo initiator for acrylate monomers while a theoretical description of the kinetics of free radical dye-initiated polymerisation via an electron transfer process has been proposed. Using the Marcus theory it has been shown that the rate of electron transfer can affect the rate of initiation. 

Figure 5-6. (a) Dependence of T on p for mixtures of polymethyl methacrylate with diethyl phthalate. Comparison of experimental results with equation (5-8). Parameters found were ctjctp = 2.32, Tgd = -57 °C, Tgp = 104 °C.f [After F. N. Kelley and F. Bueche, J. Polym. Sci., 50 549 (1961)] (b) Variation of Tg for a miscible polymer blend of polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN), with a description of the data using the Gordon-Taylor relationship, equation (5-27). The two points at low SAN content have a higher-than-expected Tg because of crystallization of the PCL. [After S-C. Chiu and T. G. Smith, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 29,1797 (1984). Copyright 1984, Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company.]... 

The Smith-Ewart kinetic theory of emulsion polymerization is simple and provides a rational and accurate description of the polymerization process for monomers such as styrene, butadiene, and isoprene, which have very limited solubility in water (less than 0.1%). However, there are a number of exceptions. For example, as we indicated earlier, large particles (> 0.1 to 0.5 cm diameter) may and can contain more than one growing chain simultaneously for appreciable lengths of time. Some initiation in, followed by polymer precipitation from the aqueous phase may occur for monomers with appreciable water solubility (1 to 10%), such as vinyl chloride. The characteristic dependence of polymerization rate on emulsifier concentration and hence N may be altered quantitatively by the absorption of emulsifier by these particles. Polymerization may actually be taking place near the outer surface of a growing particle due to chain transfer to the emulsifier. 

General Description Kraton Polymers are a range of unhydrogenated styrenic block copolymers, compounds with an unsaturated rubber midblock (styrene-butadiene-styrene [SBS] and styrene-isoprene-styrene [SIS])J ° ]... 

The kinetic descriptions in this chapter are developed for unimolecular scission of an initiator to yield two radicals (Scheme 3.1), the most common means of generating radicals in industrial systems. Thermal initiation of monomers is an additional mechanism capable of forming primary radicals at higher temperatures, as discussed for styrene in Section 3.2.1.3. Photoinitiators that produce radicals by ultraviolet irradiation are often used to initiate crosslinking and curing reactions these polymer modification techniques are not discussed in this chapter. 

There are several cases where NMR spectroscopy has been used to investigate copolymers which deviate from the terminal model for copolymerisation (see also chapter 3). For example, Hill and co-workers [23, 24] have examined sequence distributions in a number of low conversion styrene/acrylonitrile (S/A) copolymers using carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy. Previous studies on this copolymer system, based on examination of the variation of copolymer composition with monomer feed ratio, indicated significant deviation from the terminal model. In order to explain this deviation, propagation conforming to the penultimate (second-order Markov) and antepenultimate (third-order Markov) models had been proposed [25-27]. Others had invoked the complex participation model as the cause of deviation [28]. From their own copolymer/comonomer composition data. Hill et al [23] obtained best-fit reactivity ratios for the terminal, penultimate, and the complex participation models using non-linear methods. After application of the statistical F-test, they rejected the terminal model as an inadequate description of the data in comparison to the other two models. However, they were unable to discriminate between the penultimate and complex participation models. Attention was therefore turned to the sequence distribution of the polymer. 

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