Polymerization of styrene in microemulsions and water-in-oil-in-water emulsions
Two types of emulsion polymerization media were studied in the formation of polystyrene: two O/W microemulsions and a WOW emulsion. The microemulsions and isolated polystyrene were studied using photon correlation spectroscopy and time-averaged light scattering. GPC verified the polymer's size distribution and FTIR determined the polymer's end groups. Photomicroscopy was used to size the WOW emulsion droplets. The effect of an oil-soluble, azoisobisbutyronitrile (AIBN), versus water-soluble, potassium persulfate (KPS), free-radical generator in the polymerization of styrene in microemulsions was investigated. The microemulsions contained styrene, brine, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and pentanol. Under the dilute conditions the microemulsions and lattices were stable and the droplets independent of each other. Both AIBN and KPS produced polystyrene containing two different size fractions; the molecular weight of the two fractions were of the order of magnitude of 10{sup 5} and 10{sup 6}. End group analysis indicated that initiator fragments and alcohol fragments were present in the polystyrene. The WOW emulsions contained styrene, water, Tween 80, and Span 80. The multiple phase emulsion had a polydisperse droplet size distribution with globule diameters ranging from 1 {mu}m to 190 {mu}m. Both single and multiple phase globules were present in the emulsion due to < 100% yield. WOW emulsion polymerization was slower than microemulsion polymerization and the reaction never reached completion. The isolated polymer showed a wide size distribution with an average molecular weight of {approximately} 4.6 {times} 10{sup 5}.
- Research Organization:
- Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5275857
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
PETROLEUM
EMULSIONS
STYRENE
POLYMERIZATION
WATER
BRINES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
EMULSIFICATION
LIGHT SCATTERING
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
PENTANOLS
SPECTROSCOPY
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ALCOHOLS
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
023000* - Petroleum- Properties & Composition
640410 - Fluid Physics- General Fluid Dynamics