Simplifications in the kinetic schemes for emulsion polymerisation

Abstract

A simplified procedure for calculating the average number of radicals per particle, i, in an emulsion polymerisation is discussed. This procedure may be used for a fixed number of particles both when i is changing with time and when i has reached a steady-state value. Checking for precision is simple and allowance can be made for the re-adsorption of desorbed radicals and for other time-dependent events. It is shown that this method can be used over a wider range of conditions than is possible when other available approximate methods are used.