Modeling of Reversible Chain Transfer Catalyzed Polymerization by Moment Equations Method

A moment equations method was performed to study the Reversible chain Transfer Catalyzed Polymerization (RTCP) of styrene in 80°C. To do this, a kinetic scheme containing conventional free radical polymerization reactions and equilibrium reactions of RTCP was assumed. After obtaining mass balance equations, three moment equations were defined for free and dormant radicals and dead chains. Monomer conversion, catalyst and cocatalyst concentrations, molecular weights and polydispersity index profiles were achieved for two different systems and compared with the simulation results of Goto et al. and also with the experimental results of this work. These systems have had different reaction rate constants for equilibrium reactions of RTCP. The results showed the pseudo-linear increase of conversion and molecular weight versus time while a small PDI values were obtained for system 1 while the final PDI value of system 2 was high. Calculating average error of results compared to experimental and simulation results of Goto et al. showed a good agreement of modeling results with others and confirm the accuracy of results obtained in this work.