Modeling the Emulsion Polymerization in the Presence of coagulation:Monodisperse versus Polydisperse Particle Size simulation

In this work the batch emulsion polymerization of styrene has been modeled in presence and absence of coagulation phenomenon. The monodispersity assumption has been compared with the case were polydispersity of particle size is taken into account. The effect of particle dispersity on the evolution of the total particle numbers, conversion, the particle size and its distribution were studied. Neglecting the coagulation phenomenon, both monodisperse and polydisperse models predicts almost the same trend for variation of the number of particles, conversion and average particle radius. In the case of particle coalescence, the average particle radius can be predicted well in both models. However there is a high deviation in total number of particles and conversion for monodisperse model because of poor ability to determine the rate of coagulation.

Keywords:

emulsion polymerization , coagulation , mathematical modeling , particle size distribution