Effect of zinc chloride on the radical polymerization of cyclohexyl acrylate

Abstract

AbstractThe paper presents a study of the radical polymerization of cyclohexyl acrylate (CHA) in the presence of ZnCl2. It was found by IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy that a complex of ZnCl2 with CHA is formed. For copolymerization of CHA with vinylidene chloride, both the Q‐ and e‐value of CHA increased with the ZnCl2 concentration. The initiation rate and k/kt were determined using DPPH as an inhibitor. It was found that ZnCl2 did not affect the initiation rate. The kp value of CHA was determined to be about 2720 1 · mol−1 · s−1 in the absence and 4710 1 · mol−1 · s−1 in the presence of ZnCl2 by the rotating sector method. The enhanced polymerization rate of CHA in the presence of ZnCl2 can be ascribed to the large kp value. The termination rate constant is not significantly affected by the presence of ZnCl2.