Free-Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers in scCO_2: Experimental Studies and Comprehensive Mathematical Modeling

摘要

In the present paper a comprehensive mathematical model is developed for the dispersion polymerization of vinyl monomers in supercritical CO_2. A detailed kinetic mechanism is employed to describe the molecular weight developments in the two-phase polymerization system. The concentrations of the various reacting species in the two phases as well as the pressure variation during polymerization are calculated using the Sanchez-Lacombe equation of state. The predictive capabilities of the present model are demonstrated by comparison of the theoretical predictions with experimental results on monomer conversion, total pressure and molecular weight averages.