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Polymer Experiments for College Courses
A collaboration of the POLYED National Information Center
at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the Polymer Science Learning Center
at the University of Southern Mississippi.
1
Bulk Step-Growth Polymerization, eng-group analysis, and kinetics.
Microscale emulsion polymerization.
In this experiment, Nylon 11 will be prepared by bulk polymerization, i.e., by thermal polymerization of the neat monomer, w-aminoundecanoic acid. This is an A-B monomer, thus, exact stoichiometry of the reactants in this step-growth polymerization is assured.
Emulsion polymerizations are among the limited number of organic reactions that utilize an aqueous reaction media. The polymer-forming reaction takes place in water containing surfactant, monomer, and a water-soluble initiator. These polymerizations offer desirable characteristics such as ready heat dissipation, less reliance on volatile organic solvents, and low viscosities even at high molecular weights. Emulsion polymerization has been used extensively for the preparation of commercial products including water-based paints and synthetic rubber.
The Preparation of Isotactic Poly (methyl methacrylate)
Intrinsic Viscosity of Poly (Methyl Acrylate)
Isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) can be prepared by chain growth polymerization with an anionic initiator. The tacticity results from the polymer chain growing at the end via a six-membered transition state. The chain end is in an enol form and coordination of the counterion (Li+) of the initiator with oxygen atoms in and attached to the ring facilitates formation of this transition state. Steric effects dictate that the incoming monomer attacks from under the ring which gives rise to the observed stereoregularity.
Finding the intrinsic viscosity of POLY(METHYL ACRYLATE
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© POLYED National Information Center for Polymer Education
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Department of Chemistry
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-3703
polyed@uwsp.edu
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