Weight Ratios Of Poly Research Articles

Grafting of styrene onto poly(butyl acrylate) in emulsion

The effect of time, temperature, the concentration of initiator and emulsifier, and the ratio of starting polymer to monomer on the degree of conversion ( MC) of styrene and the grafting efficiency ( GE) of polystyrene has been investigated. The reaction was initiated with potassium persulphate. It has been found that the degree of conversion of styrene and the grafting efficiency change in opposite directions when plotted as functions of the reaction parameters studied. The graft copolymerization is assisted by short reaction times and weight ratios of poly(butyl acrylate) to styrene greater than unity. The results obtained suggest that higher grafting efficiencies are obtained when the concentration of emulsifier is below its c.m.c. (critical micellar concentration) value. When using two different anionic emulsifiers it has been observed that the effect of initiator concentration on the degree of conversion of styrene and the grafting efficiency is complicated. Both the quantities studied ( MC and GE) exhibit extrema in the range of initiator concentration studied (3.7−33.3 × 10 −5 mol dm −3 of H 2O). No meaningful effect of temperature in the range 60°–90°C or that of dodecyl mercaptan (molecular weight regulator) used in an amount 0–0.4% in relation to poly(butyl acrylate) and styrene has been observed on the MC and GE values.