Polymerization in a tubular reactor

Abstract

Abstract A mathematical model has been developed to predict the variations in temperature, velocity, and composition which occur during anionic polymerization in laminar flow in a tubular reactor. It is found that very large radial gradients in all three are to be expected when a solution containing only solvent and monomer is polymerized. Recycle of part of the product or prepolymerization in stirred‐tank reactors may be used to reduce greatly the distortion of the radial profiles.