2D-infrared thermography monitoring of ultrasound-assisted polymerization of water-soluble monomer in a gel process

Julien Rigolini (1) , F. Bombled , F. Ehrenfeld , Kamal El Omari , Yves Le Guer , Bruno Grassl (1)

1 IPREM - Institut des sciences analytiques et de physico-chimie pour l'environnement et les materiaux

This paper describes a process based on the ultrasound-assisted polymerization of a water-soluble monomer at a high concentration, which is known as a gel polymerization process. Polymerization is triggered by the ultrasound-assisted decomposition of the initiating species. This highly exothermic polymerization reaction can sustain a localized reaction front that propagates throughout an unstirred medium, as in frontal polymerization. Evidence for the controlled nature of thermal propagation alongside a gel process is presented by online 2D-infrared (IR) thermography monitoring. In addition, the effects of thermal propagation on the molar mass distributions are described. Specifically, the use of ultrasound not only suppresses the so-called "fingering" of frontal polymerization but also avoids any alteration of the molar mass distribution of the polymer.

Mots clés: Exothermic polymerization reaction; Frontal polymerization; Gel process; High concentration; Molar mass distribution; Polymerization process; Reaction front; Thermal propagation; Water soluble monomers; Gels; Monomers; Polymerization; Thermography (imaging); Thermography (temperature measurement); Ultrasonics; Polymers

Domaines: Chimie

Julien Rigolini, F. Bombled, F. Ehrenfeld, Kamal El Omari, Yves Le Guer, et al.. 2D-infrared thermography monitoring of ultrasound-assisted polymerization of water-soluble monomer in a gel process. Macromolecules, 2011, 44 (11), pp.4462-4469. ⟨10.1021/ma200706j⟩. ⟨hal-01598470⟩