Development and Modeling of a Continuous Dispersion Copolymerization Process in the Presence of a Stabilizing Agent Elaborated in situ

F. Pla (1) , Ch. Fonteix (1) , S. Hoppe (1) , C. Schrauwen (1) , H. van Der Wal (2) , F. van Damme (2) , Bruno Salvador

1 LSGC - Laboratoire des Sciences du Génie Chimique
2 Dow Benelux N.V.

This work deals with the development of a process for the radical copolymerization of acrylonitrile and styrene in a dispersed medium. This process was carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor, in the presence of a stabilizing agent produced in situ during the polymerization. The continuous phase is a polyol. Besides all elementary chemical mechanisms related to the copolymerization and to the synthesis and grafting of the stabilizing agent, this process involves several complex physical phenomena. A tendency model of the whole process was developed, using the corresponding mass balances and thermodynamics. Its unknown parameters were identified by use of an evolutionary algorithm and experimental data resulting from an adapted experimental strategy. This model was then validated and allowed to predict monomers and transfer agent conversions, amounts of solids and average molar masses, versus the operating conditions.

Mots clés: copolymer polyol • dispersion polymerization • evolutionary algorithm • modeling

Domaines: Génie des procédés

F. Pla, Ch. Fonteix, S. Hoppe, C. Schrauwen, H. van Der Wal, et al.. Development and Modeling of a Continuous Dispersion Copolymerization Process in the Presence of a Stabilizing Agent Elaborated in situ. Macromolecular Symposia, 2007, 259 (Issue 1), pp.53 - 64. ⟨10.1002/masy.200751307⟩. ⟨hal-00270615⟩