Application of the penultimate model in the copolymerization of styrene with maleic anhydride in ethyl methyl ketone at 50°C

Abstract

Abstract Composition data for the copolymerization of styrene with maleic anhyride in ethyl methyl ketone at 50°C were obtained using a non‐aqueous potentiometric direct titration method, and were analysed using a non‐linear least squares optimization routine. Three variants of the penultimate model were fitted to the data: the four variable model (completely general), the three variable model ( r mm = 0,0) and the more usual two variable model ( r mm = r sm = 0,0). Of these, the two variable model was adequate to describe the data. Best estimates of the reactivity ratios for data previously reported in the literature were calculated, and in one case the best values were markedly different to those originally given.