Features of styrene polymerization initiated by peroxide initiators grafted on the aerosil filler surface

Abstract

A study has been made of styrene polymerization using an Aerosil filler with dialkyl peroxide fragments grafted on the filler surface. An enhanced order of reactions with respect to monomer and initiator was found, the magnitude of the order with respect to initiator depending on the density of filling of the Aerosil surface by peroxide groups. It was found that the amount of polymer grafted on the filler surface depends on the polymerization conditions and increases as the reaction time and temperature increase, likewise with increasing monomer concentration, and as the peroxide group concentration on the Aerosil surface increases. The ratio of the amount of polymer grafted to the amount of homopolymer increases as the surface concentration of peroxide groups increases, and with increasing degree of conversion. It is shown that k br and E a.br for the breakdown of peroxide grafted to Aerosil are not functions of its surface concentration. At temperature below 393°K the inhibiting action of Aerosil containing no surface peroxide groups was detected.