Phase-Transfer-Agent-Aided Free Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate-A Kinetic Study

Abstract
The kinetics of phase-transfer-agent-aided free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate was investigated by using K2S2O8 as the initiator and cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (Arquad) as the phase transfer agent. The rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to [M]1.23[K2S2O8]0.8 [Arquad]0.25 and almost independent of the volume of water (V w)/volume of organic solvent (V o) (benzene) ratio for V w/V o < 0.33. A reaction mechanism is proposed.