KINETICS OF POLY(STYRENE PEROXIDE) INITIATED POLYMERIZATION OF METHYL-METHACRYLATE AND STYRENE

Poly(styrene peroxide) (PSP), an alternating copolymer of oxygen and s tyrene, has been used as an initiator for the radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate and styrene. Thermal decomposition of PSP follo ws first order kinetics with an activation energy of 160.0 kJ/mol. Pol ymerizations of MMA and styrene (60-90 degrees C) follow the usual kin etics. The efficiency of the initiator, PSP, was found to be low (0.00 6-0.014), attributed to the competing unimolecular decomposition of ma croalkoxy radicals and primary radical initiation. The presence of per oxy segments in the backbone of PMMA and polystyrene (PS) was confirme d by H-1 NMR and DSC studies. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.