Synthesis and kinetic analysis of dpe controlled radical polymerization of MMA
Journal
Journal of Polymer Science, Part A
Journal Volume
47
Journal Issue
24
Pages
6789-6800
Date Issued
2009
Author(s)
Abstract
The 1,1-diphenylethene (DPE) controlled radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate was performed at 80 °C by using AIBN as an initiator and DPE as a control agent. It was found that the molecular weight of polymer remained constant with monomer conversion throughout the polymerization regardless of the amounts of DPE and initiator in formulation. To understand the result of constant molecular weight of living polymers in DPE controlled radical polymerization, a living kinetic model was established in this research to evaluate all the rate constants involved in the DPE mechanism. The rate constant k2, corresponding to the reactivation reaction of the DPE capped dormant chains, was found to be very small at 80 °C (1 × 10 -5 s-1), that accounted for the result of constant molecular weight of polymers throughout the polymerization, analogous to a traditional free radical polymerization system that polymer chains were terminated by chain transfer. The polydispersity index (PDI) of living polymers was well controlled <1.5. The low PDI of obtained living polymers was due to the fact that the rate of growing chains capped by DPE was comparable with the rate of propagation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Type
journal article