Radical polymerization of vinyl acetate in the presence of chain transfer agents: determination of chain transfer constants and activation energy of transfer

Abstract EN

Vinyl acetate has been polymerized by bulk process with and without different types of amines compunds as chain transfer agents.

The various chain transfer constants (Cs) and their temperature dependence over a range of temperatures of (65–85°C) have been determined and discussed.

The chain transfer constants of propylamine, dipropylamine and N-ethylaniline were evaluated by using May plot, their values found as follows : N–ethyl aniline > dipropyl amine > propyl amine The high values of chain transfer constants of N-ethyl aniline were attributed to the resonance stability of the radical derived after the transfer process.

Activation energies of the chain transfer processes in the present polymerization systems were also determined using the usual Arrhenius relationship, which were found inconsistent with the values of chain transfer constants.