Reaction rate enhancement during swollen-state polymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

摘要

Experimental data are obtained for the extent of swelling and progress of the step-growth swollen-state polymerization (SwSP) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The SwSP is carried out in biphenyl and diphenyl ether mixture (26 : 74 w/w) solvent under appropriate conditions designed to understand the factors responsible for enhanced reaction rates. The kinetics rate constants, evaluated in terms of simple model, are found to be 2.5-5 times higher for SwSP as compared to the solid-state polymerization (SSP). As the diffusional/mass transfer effects are eliminated in our experiments, this increase in rate constants can be attributed to increased mobility of reactive chain ends. Polymerization rate is found to be further enhanced by addition of a polycondensation catalyst (Sb2O3) to the solvent during SwSP. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [References: 15]