STUDIES ON POLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE IN MICROEMULSIONS

The isothermal phase diagram for the system sodium dodecyle sulfonate/ n - butanol/20% styrene/water has been determined at 40 degrees C. The polymerization of styrene in O/W, W/O, and BC microemulsions was inve stigated by using the water - soluble potassium persulfate and oil - s oluble azo - bis - isobutyronitrile(AIBN) as initiators. The relations hip between the conversion rate of styrene, the molecular weight of po lystyrene and the water content of the system was obtained, and the ef fect of microemulsion structures on the polymerization of styrene was also discussed. With the microscope,the feature of polystyrene particl es was observed and the diameter was 20 similar to 60 nm. At the same time, in order to analyze the polymerization ai styrene, the solubiliz ation site of styrene in microemulsion drops was studied by H-1 NMR sp ectra.