Electroinitiated polymerization of trioxane dispersed in n-hexane and n-heptane

✍ Scribed by Giuliano Mengoli; Graziano Vidotto

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 670 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1974.070181018

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The possibility of electroinitiating the polymerization of melted trioxane dispersed in __n__hexane and n‐heptane has been investigated. It was found that the addition under stirring of an electrolyte to these dispersions added a satisfactory electrolytic conductivity: this fact allows, by a fast current pulse, the anode transfer of a charge suitable to initiate the polymerization process. The kinetics of the polymerization do not exhibit substantial induction periods and depend both on the charge initially transferred to the system and on the diluent‐to‐monomer ratio. The molecular weights of the products, which are generally high, are controlled by the same parameters and by the extent of the monomer‐to‐polymer conversion. The effect on the process of the background electrolytes perchlorate and tetrafluoborate of tetrabutylammonium has been investigated, and the possible initiation mechanism has been discussed. The conditions also for obtaining thermally stabilized products by trioxane–1,3‐dioxolane copolymerization in the same systems have been shortly investigated.