Peroxo salts as initiators of vinyl polymerization: Polymerization of acrolein initiated by potassium peroxodiphosphate

Abstract

Kinetic studies were made on the polymerization of acrolein initated by potassium peroxodiphosphate (PP) in aqueous solution, in the presence and absence of Ag + ions. The rate of polymerization was found to depend on [ M] 3 2 (M = monomer) and was independent of both [PP] and [Ag +]. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 4.8 kcal mol −1. A mechanism involving termination by PO 2- 4 radicals is proposed and discussed.