Diffusion-Controlled Copolymerization Kinetics

Abstract

<p>A general kinetic model which accounts for diffusion-controlled termination and propagation in free-radical copolymerization up to high conversions was developed. This model was tested on batch kinetic data for styrene/p-methyl styrene thermal copolymerization and data on the chemically-initiated bulk copolymerization of methyl methacrylate/p-methyl styrene. The model gave reasonable predictions of conversion, copolymer composition and molecular weights for these copolymer systems and thus should find use in the design, optimization and control of copolymer reactors.</p>