Study of kinetics and mechanisms of dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate

In the present work, the dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxypropyl metha crylate (HPMA) was carried outin No. 120 gasoline/n-pentanol medium using a zobisisobutyronitrile as initiator and a comb-structured amphipathic polyme r as dispersant. The effects of many factors such as the type, structure an d concentration of dispersants, and the reaction temperature, on the reacti on and the morphology of the polymer microspheres obtained were investigate d. It is proposed that the dispersion polymerization of HPMA has two nuclea tion mechanisms, homogeneous nucleation and inverse mini-emulsion nucleatio n. Furthermore, the kinetic of HPMA dispersion polymerization was also stud ied. (C) 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.