Starve fed emulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and 1-hexene at ambient pressure

• A novel emulsion copolymer of vinyl acetate (VAc) and 1-hexene was synthesized at ambient pressure. The feeding technique, initiation system and reaction time of the copolymerization were optimized based on molecular characteristics such as the weight contribution of 1-hexene in the copolymer chains and glass transition temperature (T-g) as well as on bulk properties like minimum film-formation temperature (MFFT) and solid content. According to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry results, the combination of starve feeding and redox initiation, within a reaction time of 4h, effectively led to the copolymerization at ambient pressure between highly reactive polar VAc monomers and non-polar 1-hexene monomers of low reactivity. The copolymer showed a lower T-g and MFFT, and a reasonable solid content compared to the poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) homopolymer. The consumption rate, hydrolysis of acetate groups and chain transfer reactions during the polymerization were followed using infrared spectroscopy. Based on the results, the undesirable reactions between the VAc blocks were hindered by the neighbouring 1-hexene molecules. Tensile testing revealed an improvement in the toughness and elongation at break of VAc-1-hexene films compared to PVAc films.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Polymerkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Polymer Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

emulsion copolymerization

vinyl acetate

1-hexene

ambient pressure

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)