Mechanism and model of dispersion polymerization using homopolymer as dispersant in polar media

The mechanism of dispersion polymerization is described. The model is devel oped to predict the number of particles, the critical smallest size of the stable particles and the duration of the nucleation and particle formation stage. The key components of this model are a multibin coagulative nucleati on theory for unstable nuclei coalescence through homogeneous nucleation an d the grafting mechanism of stabilization. A critical point is defined wher e similar-sized particles stop coalescing with one another because the graf t available equals the minimum graft required to stabilize the particles.