Investigação da polimerização via radical livre usando iniciadores trifuncionais / Investigation of free radical polymerization using trifunctional initiators

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

Researchers from industries and universities have investigated the use of initiators with functionality greater than one, in free radical polymerization. These types of initiators are able to increase the polymerization reaction rate with no decrease in molecular weight. Besides, initiators with functionality greater than two (multifunctional initiators), those that do not have a cyclic structure, are able to generate branches in the polymer chains, changing the product microstructure. Experimental studies of initiators with functionality greater than two in free radical polymerization are very few and the modeling of such systems is really scarce. The complexity of the kinetic mechanism increases with the increasing of the initiator functionality. Machado (2004) presents mathematical models using mono- and bifunctional initiators in free radical polymerization of linear (polystyrene) and branched (poly vinyl acetate) polymers. This last case is brand new in open literature. The objective of this work was to study free radical polymerization using a trifunctional cyclic initiator (TRIGONOX 301, T301). This work was developed in experimental level (polymerization in ampoules) and in computational level (development of mathematical model, modeling and simulation). This research proposed a kinetic mechanism and developed a mathematical model to free radical polymerization of styrene using a trifunctional initiator. Styrene was chosen because it is a very well known monomer and there is a lot of data about it. The mathematical model built predicts results as conversion, molecular weight (number average, Mn, and weight average, Mw), radical concentration and polymer concentration profiles. An experimental investigation was also made in order to validate the simulation results. The experimental part followed the method of polymerization in ampoules. The following analyses were performed to characterize the samples of polymers obtained experimentally: Gel Permeation Cromatography (GPC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The validation was made to conversion and molecular weights. The experimental results were very important to validate the model and also to investigate the behavior of the trifunctional initiator T301. Model simulations showed good agreement with experimental data. Simulations could explore the polymerization reaction, verifying the behavior of all species present in it. Also, it was possible to study the effects of some variables as temperature and initiator concentration during the reaction and in the final product. This study is a comprehensive investigation of a reaction using a trifunctional initiator, providing a model that simulates accurately the free radical polymerization of styrene and, also, presenting types of different analysis that can be done in the final polymer. It should be noted that the use of the trifunctional initiator T301 in free radical polymerization brought the possibility of obtaining polystyrenes with high molecular weights, simultaneously with reduced polydispersities (narrower MWD profiles), at high temperatures and, as a consequence, at high reaction rates

ASSUNTO(S)

simulação (computadores) polimerização estireno computer simulation polymerization styrene

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