Continuous emulsion polymerisation of styrene and methyl acrylate

An investigation of continuous emulsion polymerisation kinetics was carried out using a series of three continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR), and styrene and methyl acrylate as types of monomer with different solubilities in water. Steady-state conversion fluctuations reported in the literature could be suppressed by holding the feed rates constant. The results obtained are only partly in agreement with the theory proposed by Gershberg & Longfield, who combined the basic assumptions of the Smith-Ewart theory with steady-state CSTR kinetics. An explanation for the deviations from this theory is therefore suggested which takes into account the tendency of relatively water-soluble monomers to form particles from the homogeneous solution and to undergo so-called interparticle termination as a result of migration of radicals between the latex particles.