EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON HIGH CONVERSION FREE-RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF BEHENYL ACRYLATE

An experimental investigation on the kinetics of free-radical polymeri zation of behenyl (a mixture of 14.8% n-octadecyl, 15.1% n-eicosyl, an d 70.1% n-docosyl) acrylate initiated with benzoyl peroxide was conduc ted at 70-degrees-C using a HAAKE rotational viscometer. Molecular wei ght measurements and differential scanning calorimetric studies of the samples are also described and the results are compared with those ob tained by batch reactions conducted under a nitrogen atmosphere. A hig h monomer order of 1.61 +/- 0.11 and a low initiator order of 0.35 +/- 0.04 was obtained. The role played by the long methylene chain in beh enyl acrylate is also discussed. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.