Copolymerization of Styrene and Cardanol from Cashew Nut Shell Liquid. Part Ⅰ– Kinetic Modeling of Bulk Copolymerizations

摘要

The present manuscript investigates the bulk copolymerization of styrene and cardanol from cashew nut shell liquid. A kinetic mechanism is proposed and a mathematical model is derived. The model parameters are estimated in order to allow for appropriate description of monomer conversions, average molecular weights, and copolymer compositions of the produced copolymer. It is shown that cardanol exerts strong inhibitory effects on styrene polymerization, making incorporation of cardanol into the copolymer chains through homogeneous polymerizations challenging.