title: Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on emulsion polymerization of styrene.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of pretreatment of ultrasonic irradiation on emulsion polymerization of styrene to propose a process intensification method which gives high conversion, high reaction rate, and high energy efficiency. The solution containing styrene monomer was irradiated by a horn mounted on the ultrasonic transducer with the diameter of 5mm diameter and the frequency of 28 kHz before starting polymerization. The pretreatment of ultrasound irradiation as short as 1 min drastically improved monomer dispersion and increased reaction rate even under the agitation condition with low rotational speed of impeller. Furthermore, the ultrasonic pretreatment resulted in higher monomer concentration in polymer particles and produced larger polymer particles than conventional polymerization without ultrasonic pretreatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokko-dai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Daichi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nagatomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokko-dai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan. Electronic address: horie@dragon.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.affiliation: Organization of Advanced Science and Technology, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokko-dai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Chizuru
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hongo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokko-dai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohmura
keywords: Compartment reactor; Emulsion polymerization; Function modules; Partition equilibrium; Process intensification; Smith–Ewart theory