Online polymerization monitoring in a continuous reactor
Résumé
A recently introduced online monitoring technique allows monomer conversion f, weight average polymer mass Mw, and reduced viscosity ηrto be continuously monitored without any chromatographic columns during polymerization reactions. This technique was adapted to a Homogeneous Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (HCSTR) to verify the quantitative predictions concerning f, Mw, and ηr, as a function of the flow and kinetic parameters, to determine the kinetic parameters themselves, to ascertain the ideality of mixing in the reactor, to assess the effects of feed and reactor fluctuations, and to approximate a fully continuos tube type reactor. The synthesis of polyacrylamide was chosen as a practical system for the investigation. The online method should be a useful experimental technique for basic kinetic studies, development of new materials assessment of reactor performance, verification of model studies, and monitoring of industrial scale reactors.