%0 Journal Article
%T Scale-up of the Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Polymerization Using Continuous Flow Processing
%A Nenad Micic
%A Alan Young
%A Julien Rosselgong
%A Christian H. Hornung
%J Processes
%D 2014
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/pr2010058
%X A controlled radical polymerization process using the Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) approach was scaled up by a factor of 100 from a small laboratory scale of 5 mL to a preparative scale of 500 mL, using batch and continuous flow processing. The batch polymerizations were carried out in a series of different glass vessels, using either magnetic or overhead stirring, and different modes of heating: Microwave irradiation or conductive heating in an oil bath. The continuous process was conducted in a prototype tubular flow reactor, consisting of 6 mm ID stainless steel tubing, fitted with static mixers. Both reactor types were tested for polymerizations of the acid functional monomers acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-1-sulfonic acid in water at 80 ˇăC with reaction times of 30 to 40 min. By monitoring the temperature during the exothermic polymerization process, it was observed that the type and size of reactor had a significant influence on the temperature profile of the reaction.
%K RAFT polymerization
%K continuous flow
%K scale-up
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/2/1/58