Aqueous Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by the Potassium Bromate-Thiomalic Acid Redox System

Abstract

Abstract The redox system composed of potassium bromate and thiomalic acid was used to initiate the aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate under nitrogen atmosphere at 35 ± 0.2°C. The initial rates of polymerization have been found to be approximately proportional to the first power of the initiator concentration in the range of 2.5 to 6.0 ± 10−3 M and to the first power (1.15) of monomer concentration in the range of 3.72 to 11.16 ± 10−2 M The overall rate was independent of activator concentration, approaching a maximum at 10 × 10−3 M. The overall energy of activation was found to be 8.80 kcal/mol. The initial rate and the maximum conversion attained a maximum value at 35°C in the temperature range of 20 to 45°C.