Polymerization kinetics in highly viscous media

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of the viscosity of the reaction medium on the rate of polymerization of styrene has been examined by adding different amounts of inert polystyrene to pure monomer and its solutions in benzene. Azobisisobutyronitrile was decomposed photochemically (λ = 365 mμ) at 25°C. or thermally at 70°C.; its rate of decomposition was followed by ultraviolet spectrometry. The rate of formation of dimethyl‐N‐cyanoisopropylketenimine (DKI) was followed by infrared spectrometry (2020 cm.−1). The initiation efficiency was determined by the scintillation method with the use of a 14Clabeled initiator. The rate of polymerization was followed dilatometrically. An increase of viscosity does not affect the rate of decomposition of the initiator; on the contrary, during the photochemical decomposition, it causes an increase of DKI concentration and an appreciable decrease of efficiency (from 0.51 to 0.30). From the point of view of the rate of photopolymerization, an increase of viscosity causes a decrease in the order of the reaction with respect to the initiator (from 0.5 to 0.3) and an increase with respect to monomer from 1.5 to 2. These results are interpreted on the basis of a decrease of termination rate constant between two growing chains in favor of a termination reaction between a growing chain and a primary radical. These effects, due to an increase of the viscosity of the solution, on the initiation and termination reactions influence the rate of polymerization in opposite direction and compensate each other to approximatively 25%.