title: Improved Livingness and Control over Branching in RAFT Polymerization of Acrylates: Could Microflow Synthesis Make the Difference?
abstract: The superior capabilities of structured microreactors over batch reactors are demonstrated for reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) solution polymerization of n-butyl acrylate with the aid of simulations, explicitly accounting for the chain length distribution of all macrospecies types. Since perfect isothermicity can be established in a microreactor, less side products due to backbiting and β-scission are formed compared to the batch operation in which ineffective heat removal leads to an undesirable temperature spike. For a given RAFT chain transfer agent (CTA), additional microstructural control results under microflow conditions by optimizing the reaction temperature, lowering the dilution degree, or decreasing the initial molar ratio of monomer to RAFT CTA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Derboven
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul H M
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Van Steenberge
authors.affiliation: Polymer Reaction Design Group, Institute for Materials Research (IMO-imomec), Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan Building D, B-3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandenbergh
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.
authors.forename: Marie-Francoise
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reyniers
authors.affiliation: Polymer Reaction Design Group, Institute for Materials Research (IMO-imomec), Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan Building D, B-3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Junkers
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.|Department of Textiles, Ghent University, Technologiepark 907, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.
authors.forename: Dagmar R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: D'hooge
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 914, B-9052, Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Marin
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; C006903:carbopol 940
keywords: acrylates; branching; microreactors; polymer kinetics; reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer, RAFT