Effect of Film Thickness on Overall Polymerization Reaction Rates
October 8th, 1970
Group II Research Note, ICI Central Instrument Research Lab.
S F Bush
Summary
Experimental studies of the terylene polymerization reaction in thin films have shown that, although the back reaction is known to occur, the overall rate of reaction appears nonetheless to vary as the square of the polymer ends concentration and inversely as the film thickness (Ref 2).
This note explains this observation in analytical terms and determines the relative importance of liquid diffusion and vapour diffusion rates in the achieved rates of polymerization. The results appear to apply to both Terylene and Nylon 6.6 polymerizations.
References
[1] S F Bush, M J Shires, M A L Sita-Lumsden, CIRL Research Note, 5th October 1970, “Some results from a study of the possible applications of mathematical models to the continuous terylene processes”.
[2] B R Hefford, K Porter, 11th June 1968, “Terylene fast polymerization kinetics . . .”