Adiabatic anionic polymerization of caprolactam in the presence of N-acylated caprolactam macroactivator: Kinetic study

✍ Scribed by Jen-Long Yeh; Jen-Feng Kuo; Chuh-Yung Chen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 672 KB
• Volume: 50
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1993.070501001

✦ Synopsis

NOPSlS

In this study, bis t-caprolactam bis-diphenyl methane diisocyanate polypropylene glycol 1000 used as the macroactivator was prepared and well characterized prior to use. The anionic polymerization of e-caprolactam with the macroactivator as a function of the macroactivator concentration was adiabatically carried out. The adiabatic temperature rise method as well as the macrokinetics were used for elucidation of the kinetics of the polymerization. A nonlinear regression technique was used for determining the parameters of the macrokinetic equation. The equilibrium conversion and equilibrium time obtained were 94-96% and 2-9 min depending on the macroactivator concentration. The effects of the concentrations of macroactivator and e-caprolactam on the initial rate, apparent overall reaction rate, and the empirical parameters were studied. A side reaction induced by the transfer of the proton in the isocyanurate group of the macroactivator to caprolactam anion was found. According to this finding, a new reaction kinetic model was proposed by properly modifying the macrokinetic equation.