Emulsion copolymerization of vinyl chloride with butyl acrylate

The emulsion copolymerization of vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate initiated by ammonium peroxodisulfate at 60°C in the presence of an anionic emulsifier was investigated. Random copolymers of butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride covering several sets of monomer compositions were synthesized by emulsion copolymerization conducted to both low and high conversions. The rate of butyl acrylate polymerization at medium conversion was found to be proportional to the 0,5 and 1,0 power of the butyl acrylate concentration for the system with and without vinyl chloride. The overall rate of poymerization was found to decrease with increasing vinyl chloride concentration in the monomer feed. The particle size increases with increasing vinyl chloride monomer concentration in the monomer feed and conversion. The decrease in molecular weight of butyl acrylate/vinyl chloride copolymer is accompanied with the incease of vinyl chloride concentration in the monomer feed and of conversion. The results are discussed in terms of radical desorption, particle nucleation and the dependence of the equilibrium monomer concentration on the reactor pressure.