Hexavalent Chromium-Thioacetamide Redox System Initiated Polymerization of Acrylonitrile

Abstract

Abstract Polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by the Cr6+/thioacetamide redox system was studied in nitrogen atmosphere in the temperature range 35–45°C. The rate of polymerization and the rate of Cr6+ ion disappearance were measured. The effect of certain water-miscible organic solvents, neutral electrolytes, and complexing agents on the rate of polymerization was investigated. Chromic acid alone did not initiate the polymerization under deaerated and undeaerated conditions. Depending on the results obtained, a suitable kinetic scheme was proposed and various rate parameters were evaluated.