Continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene in a single Couette–Taylor vortex flow reactor

The effect of the geometrical and operational parameters on the mixing characteristics of a Couette–Taylor vortex flow reactor (CTVFR) were investigated and were correlated with the same parameters by using the tank‐in‐series model. Continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene was conducted at 50°C in a CTVFR to clarify the effects on kinetic behavior and reactor performance of operational parameters such as rotational speed of inner cylinder (Taylor number), reactor mean residence time, and emulsifier and initiator concentrations in the feed streams. It was found that steady‐state monomer conversion and particle number could be freely varied only by varying the Taylor number. In order to explain the observed kinetic behavior of this polymerization system, a mathematical model was developed by combining the empirical correlation of the mixing characteristics of a CTVFR and a previously proposed kinetic model for the continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene in continuous stirred tank reactors connected in series (CSTRs). On the basis of these experimental results, it was concluded that a CTVFR is suitable for the first reactor (prereactor) of a continuous emulsion polymerization reactor system. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 1931–1942, 2001     

新型连续乳液聚合反应器

介绍了4种主要连续乳液聚合反应器的研究新进展,包括连续搅拌釜式反应器、连续环管式反应器、脉冲填料塔式反应器及库爱特-泰勒旋流式反应器。提出了连续乳液聚合反应器的发展方向。     

A novel approach to prepare large-scale and narrow-dispersed latex particles by emulsion polymerization based on particle coagulation mechanism

In order to understand the mechanism of narrow particle size distribution of the final latex during particle coagulation, a series of experiments were performed to investigate the effect of polymer nature on particle coagulation capability. In particular, thermodynamics and kinetics in aqueous phase were considered to illustrate the detail process of particle coagulation. The final particle size decreased with the increasing side chain length of alkyl methacrylate from 181.5 nm in MMA to 131.6 nm in EMA, 119.3 nm in PMA, and 115.1 nm in BMA, indicating that the particle coagulation capability was proportional to the hydrophilicity of polymer. With increasing polymer hydrophilicity, the affinity between surfactant molecules and particle surface decreased, thus enhancing the particle coagulation capability. Moreover, the critical length of oligomer radical also increased with increasing hydrophilicity and the efficiency of radical capture decreased, thus increasing the saturation of monomer concentration in the inner part of particle, promoting particle coagulation. Combining these results and the La Mer Diagram, a novel approach was developed to prepare large-scale, narrow-dispersed, and high solid content polymer latex based on particle coagulation mechanism. Three criteria, namely, rapid nucleation, fast coagulation, and a long growth period, should be met to produce latex with a narrow particle size distribution.     

Modelling study of emulsion latex coagulation processes in coagulators

This paper presents a numerical study of emulsion latex coagulation processes in continuous coagulators based on the full computational fluid dynamics approach. The RANS approach together with the k‐ε turbulence model was used to describe the detailed flow field in the coagulators. The coagulant mixing process was modelled by the convection‐diffusion equation and the emulsion latex coagulation process was formulated by the population balance equation of the particle size with a coagulation kernel including a perikinetic and orthokinetic combined mechanism. The flow and coagulation models were independently validated by means of comparing simulated results to the relevant experimental data from the literature. A series of simulations were carried out to study the effects of coagulator bottom shape, salt solution feeding location, residence time and agitation speed, as well as the influence of four typical scale‐up criteria on the latex particle coagulation process. The presented results would be helpful for the relevant process design, development, and scale‐up of continuous latex coagulators.     

The effects of electrolyte concentration in the emulsion polymerization of styrene

Using concentrations below that required to coagulate the latex, the effects of the addition of potassium chloride on the emulsion polymerization of styrene have been investigated. When potassium decanoate (an emulsifier with a high critical micelle concentration (c.m.c.)) is used the increase in the concentration of micellar emulsifier and the decrease in the area occupied by an emulsifier molecule at the polymer/water interface are significant. When this is taken into account Gardon's equation for latex particle size reproduces the trend of the experimental results at the lower electrolyte concentrations. The agreement can be made quantitative by choosing alternative values for the propagation rate constant of styrene and the rate of radical formation from persulphate. With potassium octadecanoate (which has a low c.m.c.) and with potassium decanoate at the higher electrolyte concentrations these factors cannot account for the results observed.     

Particle features of a poly(methyl methacrylate) resin prepared by a new emulsion polymerization process

A new emulsion polymerization process, in which water acted as the dispersed phase and a mixture of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and cyclohexane acted as the continuous phase, was applied to the preparation of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resin. The primary (latex) particles were formed in the early stage of polymerization and coagulated as the polymerization conversion increased. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the final PMMA particles were porous and composed of loosely aggregated primary particles. The porosity characterized by cold di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate absorption increased as the water/oil and cyclohexane/MMA mass ratios increased. The PMMA primary particles were smaller than the primary particles in the PMMA resin prepared by suspension polymerization in the presence of cyclohexane. Because of the phase composition of the reaction system, the solubility of PMMA in a mixture of cyclohexane and MMA, and the particle morphology of PMMA, a particle formation mechanism, including the formation, growth, and coagulation of primary particles in dispersed water droplets, was proposed. The primary particles formed mainly through a homogeneous nucleation mechanism and increased in size as MMA diffused from the oil phase to the water phase to the primary particles. The coagulation of the primary particles occurred because of the lower colloidal stability and the space limitations of the primary particles. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1905–1911, 2004     

氧化还原体系引发苯乙烯乳液聚合

以不同的过氧化物引发剂分别与硫酸亚铁组成氧化还原引发体系,引发苯乙烯的乳液聚合,研究反应温度和还原剂用量等对聚合的影响.采用气相色谱、三检测体积排除色谱、动态光散射对单体转化率、聚苯乙烯的相对分子质量及其分布和乳胶粒径进行了分析.结果表明:升高温度或增加还原剂用量均会使聚合物的相对分子质量增大,聚合反应速率加快,与常规...     

Particle size distribution control in emulsion polymerization

Effects of the operating policies—the initial initiator amount; the initial emulsifier amount; the monomer addition mode: batch or semibatch; and the monomer addition rate under “monomer‐starved conditions” for the control of particle size distribution (PSD)—were studied through a model that simulates batch and semibatch reactor operations in conventional emulsion polymerization. The population balance model incorporates both the nucleation stage and the growth stage. The full PSDs were reported, which have normally been omitted in earlier studies. It was shown through simulations that the broadness of the distributions, both initial (obtained after the end of nucleation) and final (after complete conversion of monomer), can be controlled by the initial initiator amount and the emulsifier amount. The higher initiator amounts and the lower emulsifier amounts favor narrower initial and final distributions. The shape of the initial PSDs and the trends in the average size and range were preserved with subsequent addition of monomer in the batch or in the semibatch mode, although the final PSD was always considerably narrower than that of the initial PSD. The addition of monomer in the semibatch mode gave narrower distribution compared to that of the batch mode, and also, lower monomer addition rates gave narrower distributions (larger average sizes), which was a new result. It was further shown through simulations that, under monomer‐starved conditions, the reaction rate closely matched the monomer feed rate. These conclusions are explained (1) qualitatively—the shorter the length of the nucleation stage and the larger the length of the growth stage (provided the number of particles remains the same), the narrower is the distribution; and (2) mathematically—in terms of the “self‐sharpening” effect. Experimental evidence in favor of the self‐sharpening effect was given by analyzing the experimental particle size distributions in detail. The practical significance of this work was proposed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2884–2902, 2004     

高转化率乳聚丁苯橡胶聚合过程中乳液相对分子质量分布与粒径分布考察

采用中石油吉化分公司乳聚丁苯橡胶高转化率大生产配方,考察了实验室聚合反应釜聚合反应单体转化率随反应时间的变化,采用激光粒度分析仪和凝胶渗透色谱仪测定了聚合反应不同单体转化率的胶乳的粒径分布与分子质量分布,结果表明：胶乳粒径呈正态分布,粒径主要集中分布在0.1μm附近,胶乳的平均粒径随反应时间的延长逐渐增大,但是增加的幅度越来越小;聚合反应时间在11 h前（即转化率小于72%）,胶乳的重均分子质量、Z均分子质量一直增大,而数均分子质量变化无明显规律;而分子质量分布宽度指数随反应的进行变小,表明调整的高转化率配方合成的丁苯橡胶可有效改善聚合生成的胶乳粒径分布。     

用乳液法合成丙烯酸丁酯-甲基丙烯酸共聚胶乳

采用乳液聚合法合成了丙烯酸丁酯和甲基丙烯酸共聚胶乳,用红外光谱对胶乳的结构进行了表征,讨论了加料方式、水油体积比和引发剂与胶乳性能的关系。结果表明,聚合中分3次加料可使反应更平稳地进行;控制水油体积比在1.50左右更易于反应的控制,胶乳性能也较好;引发剂质量分数为0.2%~0.4%时反应体系稳定,胶乳中的单体残留量少,共聚胶乳的性能较好。     

聚合条件对丁苯胶乳粒径的影响

通过乳液聚合方法合成了适用于聚氯乙烯(PVC)改性甲基丙烯酸甲酯-丁二烯-苯乙烯共聚物(MBS)的种子胶乳,利用一步法工艺获得一定粒径的丁苯胶乳,研究了乳化剂加入量、加入方式,聚合温度,聚合反应时间对粒径的影响,合成了粒径在200～300nm的丁苯胶乳。     

Continuous emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate. I. Operation in a single continuous stirred tank reactor using sodium lauryl sulfate as emulsifier

Continuous emulsion polymerizations of vinyl acetate were carried out at 50 °C in a single continuous stirred‐tank reactor using sodium lauryl sulfate as emulsifier and potassium persulfate as initiator. It was found that (1) the so‐called limit cycles could take place in monomer conversion, the number of polymer particles and the molecular weight of polymers produced under certain operating conditions, (2) the time‐average steady‐state monomer conversion was proportional to the 0.31 power of the emulsifier concentration in the feed, to the 0.50 power of the initiator concentration, to the ?1.0 power of the monomer concentration, and to the 0.90 power of the mean residence time, and (3) the time‐average steady‐state number of polymer particles produced was proportional to the 2.1 power of the emulsifier concentration in the feed, to the ?0.80 power of the initiator concentration, to the 0 power of the monomer concentration, and to the ?0.92 power of mean residence time. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2748–2754, 2002     

Study of different types of monomer emulsion feedings to semibatch emulsion polymerization reactors

Semibatch emulsion polymerization processes with a monomer emulsion feed are of great importance in both academia and industry. Monomer emulsion feeds can be applied to semibatch reactors using either a stream of an emulsified monomer or two streams of a neat monomer feed and an aqueous solution of an emulsifier. The effect of the feeding policy on the rate of polymerization and on the secondary particle formation was studied for a seeded semibatch emulsion polymerization of styrene. When a single-stream monomer emulsion feed is applied to a semibatch process, the monomer-swollen micelles formed in the feed might become the locus of initiation upon entering the reaction vessel. Under the conditions of this study, the application of monomer emulsion feed in either one stream or two streams did not result in secondary particle formation. The incoming monomer-swollen micelles were disintegrated to supply emulsifier molecules for the stability of growing particles, before they can capture radicals and become polymer particles. The rate of polymerization was found to be independent of the way that the monomer emulsion feed is added. In the absence of nitrogen, the rate of polymerization decreased more appreciably for the monomer emulsion feed, due to the oxygen dissolved in the emulsified monomer. The number of particles, however, was not affected by the purging policy. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 2472–2477, 2001     

高固含量聚醋酸乙烯乳液的研究及进展

介绍了有关高固含量醋酸乙烯乳液聚合的制备方法,并阐述制备高固含量PVAc乳液的影响因素。     

阳离子聚丙烯酰胺微球浓乳液制备及粒径演化

浓乳液聚合产品稳定性好,颗粒尺寸更接近地层孔隙尺寸,在油田开发中具有较大的应用价值。基于微乳液制备了一系列甲基丙烯酰氧乙基三甲基氯化铵和丙烯酰胺的浓乳液,通过电导率测试、流变性分析、显微镜观察,研究了聚合前后浓乳液结构、粒径分布及稳定性。结果表明浓乳液的黏度及屈服应力,随着水相单体浓度（C_M）增加而降低,随着油相中表面活性剂含量（m_S）增加先升高后降低,乳液稳定性有相同趋势;浓乳液在C_M>40%及m_S=2.5 g时的失稳,原因分别是渗滤作用和高黏度下乳化不充分;聚合前液滴粒径分布在1～30 mm,聚合后微球粒径在0.4～5 mm,且粒径分布由聚合前双峰变为聚合后单峰,这一现象可以由Kolmogoro-Hinze的乳化理论解释,并由微球乳液的黏度增加至原始浓乳液的10倍证实。     

Soapless emulsion polymerization of butyl methacrylate through microwave heating

Soapless emulsion polymerization of n‐butyl methacrylate (BMA) was carried out through microwave heating with potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator at 73 ± 2°C. The influence of the monomer amount, the initiator amount, and the addition of ethanol on the monomer conversion, the particle size, and its distribution were studied. The results indicate that microwave polymerization had a much higher rate and produced smaller particles with a slightly broader size distribution compared with normal polymerization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 2455–2459, 2001     

Preparation of polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) core‐shell composite particles by suspension‐emulsion combined polymerization

Suspension‐emulsion combined polymerization process, in which methyl methacrylate (MMA) emulsion polymerization constituents (EPC) were drop wise added to styrene (St) suspension polymerization system, was applied to prepare polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS/PMMA) composite particles. The influences of the feeding condition and the composition of EPC on the particle feature of the resulting composite polymer particles were investigated. It was found that PS/PMMA core‐shell composite particles with a narrow particle size distribution and a great size would be formed when the EPC was added at the viscous energy dominated particle formation stage of St suspension polymerization with a suitable feeding rate, whereas St‐MMA copolymer particles or PS/PMMA composite particles with imperfect core‐shell structure would be formed when the EPC was added at the earlier or later stage of St suspension polymerization, respectively. It was also showed that the EPC composition affected the composite particles formation process. The individual latex particles would exist in the final product when the concentrations of MMA monomer, sodium dodecyl sulfate emulsifier, and potassium persulfate initiator were great in the EPC. Considering the feature of St suspension polymerization and the morphology of PS/PMMA composite particles, the formation mechanism of PS/PMMA particles with core‐shell structure was proposed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Semibatch emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate. II. Effects of emulsifier distribution

The effects of emulsifier distribution ratio between the initial charge and the feed on particle formation and kinetics of butyl acrylate emulsion polymerization, using sodium lauryl sulfate as emulsifier and potassium persulfate as initiator, were investigated. The number of particles increased with initial emulsifier concentration in the reactor charge. It was shown that traditional ranking, in terms of number of particles produced, of semibatch emulsion polymerization with monomer emulsion feed is not always justified and a semibatch emulsion polymerization can produce far more particles than a conventional batch emulsion polymerization. The number of polymer particles was found to be practically independent of the emulsifier distribution ratio between the charge and the feed for a high overall emulsifier concentration, while for a low overall emulsifier concentration, the number of particles increased with initial loading of the emulsifier. The polydispersity index (PDI) of the final latexes showed a minimum with emulsifier distribution. A bimodal particle size distribution, and a latex with a large PDI, was obtained when there was no emulsifier in the charge. As the initial emulsifier charge increased, a unimodal PSD with a smaller PDI was obtained. With higher proportions of emulsifier in the initial charge, the PDI rose again due to particle nucleation at monomer‐starved conditions, and a skewed unimodal PSD was obtained. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 582–597, 2001     

Polymer chain extension in semibatch emulsion polymerization with RAFT‐based transfer agent: The influence of reaction conditions on polymerization rate and product properties

A mathematical model was developed for batch and semiemulsion polymerizations of styrene in the presence of a xanthate‐based RAFT agent. Zero–one kinetics was employed along with population balance equations to predict monomer conversion, molecular weight (MWD), and particle size (PSD) distributions in the presence of xanthate‐based RAFT agents. The effects of the transfer agent (AR), surfactant, initiator, and temperature were investigated. Monomer conversion, MWD, and PSD were found to be strongly affected by monomer feed rate. The polymerization rate (Rp), number average molecular weight (Mn) and particle size (r) decreased with increasing AR. With increases in surfactant and initiator concentrations Rp increased, whereas with increase in temperature Mn decreased, Rp increased and r increased. In semibatch mode, Mn and r increased with increase in monomer flow rate. By feeding the RAFT agent along with the monomer (F_M/F_AR = N_Mo/N_ARo = 100), Mn attained a constant value proportional to monomer/RAFT molar ratio. The observed retardation in polymerization and growth rates is due to the exit and re‐entry of small radicals. Thus, chain extension was successfully achieved in semibatch mode. The simulations compared well with our experimental data, and the model was able to accurately predict monomer conversion, Mn, MWD, and PSD of polymer products. Our simulations and experimental results show that monomer feed rate is suitable for controlling the PSD, and the initial concentration and the feed rate of AR for controlling the MWD and PSD. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009