Multi-site phase transfer catalyzed radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in mixed aqueous–organic medium: a kinetic study

This work establishes the kinetics of radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in an aqueous–organic two-phase system using 1,4-bis (triethylmethylammonium) benzene dichloride (TEMABDC) as multi-site phase transfer catalyst and potassium peroxydisulphate (K2S2O8) as water-soluble initiator at 60 ± 1 ◦C under nitrogen atmosphere. The role of concentrations of monomer, initiator, catalyst, acid and ionic strength, temperature and volume fraction of aqueous phase on the rate of polymerization (Rp) was investigated. The rate of polymerization (Rp); Rp α[MMA]^0.64, [TEMABDC]^1.24 and [K2S2O8]^1.50. The rate of polymerization increases with an increase in the concentration of monomer, initiator, catalyst and temperature. A generalized reaction model was developed to explain the phase transfer catalyzed polymerizationreaction. Based on the kinetic results, radical mechanism has been derived. The activation energy and other thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The FTIR spectroscopy validates a band of 1732 cm^-1 of ester group of the obtained polymer. The viscosity average molecular weight of the PMMA was found1.6955 9 10^4 g/mol.