Kinetics and Mechanism of Multi-site Phase Transfer Catalyzed Radical Polymerization of Ethyl Methacrylate

Abstract

The application of multi-site phase transfer catalyst (denoted herein as QX2) with water-soluble initiator for the radical polymerization of ethyl methacrylate (EMA) was explored. The radical polymerization of water-insoluble vinyl monomer (EMA), with water - soluble initiator (potassium peroxydisulphate PDS) and a multi-site phase transfer catalyst (1,4-bis tributyl methyl ammonium) benzene dichloride TBMABDC) were carried out in a water/cyclohexane two-phase system at constant temperature 601C under nitrogen circumstances. The rate of polymerization (Rp) was determined as a function of various reaction parameters such as the concentration of monomer, initiator, catalyst and variation of the aqueous phase and organic solvents and temperature. Based on the experimental results, a suitable kinetic scheme and mechanism has been proposed for the polymerization reaction.