Abstract
Studies of the self-initiated polymerization of styrene have been performed in the uniform environment of an expansion cloud chamber, using nucleation of liquid monomer drops for detection. These studies are the first of this kind in an expansion chamber and, although preliminary and designed to explore feasibility, have yielded many interesting results. The occurrence of the self-initiated nonterminated gas phase processes, previously observed in a diffusion cloud chamber, has now been confirmed in an expansion chamber. At 15 °C the initiation rate is measured to be 2 to 6 radicals cm-3 s-1 and the propagation constant is approximately 6X10-21 cm3 molecule-1s-1. Additional studies in the presence of oxygen indicate the (expected) formation of polystyrene peroxide as well as its cleavage into additional radicals at 25 °C. © 1988 American Institute of Physics.
Recommended Citation
J. L. Schmitt, "A Study Of Vapor Phase Self-initiated Thermal Polymerization Of Styrene With An Expansion Chamber," The Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 89, no. 8, pp. 5307 - 5315, American Institute of Physics, Jan 1988.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1063/1.455621
Department(s)
Physics
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0021-9606
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2023 American Institute of Physics, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 1988
