MICROWAVE POLYMERIZATION OF POLY(METHYL ACRYLATE) - CONVERSION STUDIES AT VARIABLE POWER

Methyl acrylate (MA) was polymerized by microwave radiation at three d ifferent powers, namely, 200, 300, and 500 W. The percentage conversio n of the reaction was followed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) sp ectroscopy. The specimen temperature during the polymerization process was measured to select a suitable temperature for comparison with the conventional method. The results indicate that a similar comparable t emperature of about 52 degrees C was found for all the microwave power settings tested. The microwave polymerization process was compared wi th that of the thermal method at 52(+/-1)degrees C under comparable re action conditions. The reaction rate enhancement of the microwave poly merization compared to the thermal method was found to be as follows: 275% for the 500 W, 220% for the 300 W, and 138% for the 200 W, indica ting a significant correlation between the reaction rate enhancement a nd the level of microwave power used. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.