Mass transfer in emulsion polymerization: An experimental and modelling study

A model is proposed to describe the impact of interphase monomer transfer on the emulsion polymerization of vinylidene fluoride (VDF). The model is validated with experimental data of the rate of polymerization and particle size distribution (PSD). During a typical emulsion polymerization process, the VDF monomer is in a gas or supercritical state, and thus much lighter than the aqueous phase in which the polymerization takes place. For this reason, the flux of monomer into the aqueous phase can depend on the type, number, and distribution of agitators on the shaft, as well as the rotation rate. The new model incorporates the interphase mass transfer coefficient into a standard emulsion polymerization model to demonstrate the impact of the agitation (in the broadest sense) on the rate of polymerization and the PSD.