J. Barton et V. Juranicova, Polymerization of acrylamide in styrene containing inverse microemulsions:polymerization kinetics and polymer product composition studies, POLYM INT, 49(11), 2000, pp. 1483-1491
The kinetics of free-radical homopolymerization and copolymerization of acr
ylamide (AAm) and styrene (S) initiated by water-soluble ammonium peroxodis
ulfate, (APS) or by toluene-soluble dibenzoyl peroxide (DBP) in inverse mic
roemulsion toluene/S/AOT (sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate)/water/AAm
characterized by a low volume fraction of the aqueous phase (Phi (aw) appr
oximate to 0.08) as a function of the concentration of S in the oil phase o
f the inverse microemulsion system have been studied. S strongly decreases
the rate of AAm/S (co)polymerization. This is valid for both APS and DBP in
itiators. Kinetic measurements indicate the important role for cross-initia
tion of water soluble AAm growing chains and of oil soluble S analogues act
ivated by the primary free-radicals generated from APS (or from DBP) in the
dispersed water droplets (or in the continuous oil-phase) of the inverse m
icroemulsion, respectively. With inverse microemulsions containing toluene
(70.73%)/S (2.44%)AOT(17.56 %)/water (7.32 %)/AAm (1.95%), after polymeriza
tion (initiator APS, 3.04 x 10(-2)mol dm(-3) of water) and separation of th
e polymeric components, the following yields were obtained: AAm/S (co)polym
er (89.20mass%; ie 62.24mass% of AAm structural units and 26.96mass% of S s
tructural units), polyacrylamide (9.4mass%) and polystyrene (1.4mass%). (C)
2000 Society of Chemical Industry.