ABSTRACT
This chapter utilizes mass and energy balances to combine the kinetics of the polymerization reactions with the mass and energy flows specific to the reactor type. It aims to develop rigorous kinetic analyses for anionic, free radical, and step-growth polymerization. Polymerization reactors can be modeled using the classical techniques of chemical reactor design. The kinetics of chain-growth copolymerization are best illustrated through the derivation of the copolymerization equation. Graft copolymers are formed by grafting of a secondary polymer onto a primary, or backbone polymer. In free radical polymerization, this often involves chain transfer to polymer. Free radical graft copolymerization should not be confused with the polymerization of a branched polymer structure formed by chain transfer to polymer during initial polymerization. The chapter explores the techniques of mathematical modeling will be applied to batch polymerizations of three common types: chain growth without termination, chain growth with termination, and step-growth.
