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This document discusses four main methods of polymerization: bulk, solution, suspension, and emulsion. Bulk polymerization involves just monomer, initiator, and chain transfer agent in a batch or continuous process. Solution polymerization adds a solvent. Suspension polymerization disperses the organic reaction mass as droplets in an aqueous phase, requiring agitation. Emulsion polymerization emulsifies the monomer with soap in water, producing a stable latex without much agitation needed. Each method has advantages and disadvantages for producing different polymer products.

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110 views

Reference Material

This document discusses four main methods of polymerization: bulk, solution, suspension, and emulsion. Bulk polymerization involves just monomer, initiator, and chain transfer agent in a batch or continuous process. Solution polymerization adds a solvent. Suspension polymerization disperses the organic reaction mass as droplets in an aqueous phase, requiring agitation. Emulsion polymerization emulsifies the monomer with soap in water, producing a stable latex without much agitation needed. Each method has advantages and disadvantages for producing different polymer products.

Uploaded by

ermias
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MODULE 2

Methods of Polymerization
Polymerization Processes
• Free-radical polymerization is carried out in a variety of
ways.
1. Bulk Polymerization
2. Solution Polymerization
3. Suspension Polymerization
4. Emulsion Polymerization
Bulk Polymerization
• Involves - monomer, initiator, and chain-transfer agent
• Greatest polymer yield per unit of reactor volume
• Very pure polymer
• Objects are conveniently cast to shape using batch bulk
polymerization
• Poly(methyl methacrylate) glazing sheets are produced by batch
bulk polymerization between glass plates.
• Polystyrene and other thermoplastic molding compounds
are produced by continuous bulk polymerization
processes
Solution Polymerization
• In this process an inert solvent is added to the reaction
mass
• Solvent adds its heat capacity and reduces the viscosity,
facilitating convective heat transfer.
• Disadvantage:
• Solvent wastes reactor space and reduces both rate and molecular
weight as compared to bulk polymerization
• Additional technology is needed to separate the polymer product
and to recover and store the solvent
Solution Polymerization
Suspension Polymerization
• In this process the organic reaction mass is dispersed in
the form of droplets 0.01–1 mm in diameter in a
continuous aqueous phase.
• Each droplet is a tiny bulk reactor.
• Agitation is critical to carrying these reactions out
successfully
• Suspending agents are used in the aqueous phase, to
control droplet size and maintain dispersion
• If dispersion is not well maintained:
• Particles become sufficiently rigid
• Particles coalesce, leading to a runaway bulk reaction
Suspension Polymerization cont…
• For the mentioned reason, it is not possible to run
suspension polymerization continuously.
• The product of a successful suspension polymerization is
small, uniform polymer spheres
• For certain applications, they are used directly, eg, as the
precursors for ion-exchange resins or bead foams.
• For others, they may be extruded and chopped to form
larger, more easily handled molding pellets.
Suspension Polymerization cont…
Suspension Polymerization cont…
Emulsion Polymerization
• When the U.S. supply of natural rubber from the Far East
was cut off in World War II, the emulsion polymerization
process was developed to produce synthetic rubber.
• In this complex process, the organic monomer is
emulsified with soap in an aqueous continuous phase.
• Because of the much smaller (≤0.1 μm) dispersed
particles than in suspension polymerization and the
stabilizing action of the soap, a proper emulsion is stable,
so agitation is not as critical.
• In classical emulsion polymerization, a water-soluble
initiator is used.
Emulsion Polymerization cont…
• The product of an emulsion polymerization is a latex; ie,
polymer particles on the order of 0.5–0.15 μm stabilized
by the soap.
• These form the basis for the popular latex paints.
• Solid rubber is recovered by coagulating the latex with
ionic salts and acids
Emulsion Polymerization cont…
Emulsion
Polymerization
cont…

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