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Feasibility of Free Radical Polymerization of Acrylic Acid in a Continuous Flow Reactor

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Title
  • Feasibility of Free Radical Polymerization of Acrylic Acid in a Continuous Flow Reactor
Date modified
  • 08/22/2025
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Abstract
  • The polymerization kinetics and feasibility of producing polyacrylic acid in water with ammonium persulfate via a lab-scale continuous flow tubular reactor was investigated. Initial monomer concentrations ranging from 0.70 to 3.00 mol/L and initiator concentrations ranging from 0.056 to 0.112 mol/L were tested at 90 °C. The reactor included two HPLC pumps, two static mixers, and disposable PTFE tubing in a hot bath. A product closely meeting the industrially-desired values of molecular weight 300,000 g/mol, polydispersity index of 10, 25% solids, and acrylic acid conversion ≥ 99.0% was successfully manufactured. However, high monomer concentrations lead to significant fouling challenges which pose a serious concern for industrial application. The pseudo steady-state kinetics of acrylic acid polymerization was studied and the effects of initial monomer and initiator concentrations and residence times were investigated. Experimental results agree with past reports that conversion increases with initial monomer concentration and that the polymerization rate has a 3/2 power dependence on monomer concentration as opposed to the conventional 1st power dependence found within other free radical polymerizations. A simple simulation of the polymerization of acrylic acid was created based on the reviewed kinetics. This simulation is still in its early stages and does not yet accurately model every kinetic consideration. A more robust simulation would provide support to future experiments by accurately predicting final polymer properties based on initial conditions.
Administrative Note
Date created
Identifier
Keyword
Language
Resource type
Degree discipline
  • Materials Science and Engineering
Degree grantor
  • University of Pittsburgh
Degree level
  • Masters
Degree name
  • Master of Science
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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Ward, Joshua. Feasibility of Free Radical Polymerization of Acrylic Acid In a Continuous Flow Reactor. . 2021. d-scholarship.pitt.edu/concern/etds/a9f6325c-9a88-458e-80de-72bea03abb16.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

W. Joshua. (2021). Feasibility of Free Radical Polymerization of Acrylic Acid in a Continuous Flow Reactor. https://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/concern/etds/a9f6325c-9a88-458e-80de-72bea03abb16

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Ward, Joshua. Feasibility of Free Radical Polymerization of Acrylic Acid In a Continuous Flow Reactor. 2021. https://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/concern/etds/a9f6325c-9a88-458e-80de-72bea03abb16.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

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