Experimental and modelling study of semi-continuous emulsion copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile

Abstract

An experimental study of semi-continuous emulsion copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) and styrene (ST) was carried cut with an isothermal stirred vessel. Continuous addition of monomer emulsion (ME) was inserted between preliminary and finishing batch operations. A mathematical model to simulate the experimental results was also developed with a particular attention on the partition of hydrophilic AN between the aqueous and organic phases. The result of simulation was quite satisfactory even though the approximate rate expressions proposed by Szabo and Nauman (1) were employed.