A kinetic study of Ce(IV) initiated polymerization of methyl acrylate in micellar phase

The Kinetics of polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) using Ce(IV) as initiator in aqueous nitric acid solution, in presence of ionic surfactants has been studied over a temperature range from 30-45 degrees C. The rate of polymerization (R(p)) increases with increasing concentration of anionic (SDS) and cationic (CTAB) surfactant above their critical micelle concentration (CMC). R(p) is found to be proportional to [MA](2.0) as well as [Ce(IV)] and [H+]. The neutral emulsifier (Trifon-X-100) has no effect on R(p). The rate of Ce(IV) disappearance (-R(Ce))/Ce varies with [MA], [Ce(IV)], [H+] and [Surfactant]. The viscosity average molecular weight of polymethylacrylate increased with increasing [SDS] as well as [CTAB] The calculated activation energies are 5.85 k.cal/mole and 7.31 k.cal/mole in presence of 0.015M SDS and 0.0015M CTAB respectively.