Studies in polymerization - III. The polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Abstract

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate has been studied by the viscosity method (part I, 1948). The reaction is shown to be a normal radical chain process with velocity constants at 0°C given in table 3. It has been found that irradiation of methyl methacrylate by ultra-violet light produces a catalyst, while an inhibitor is formed by a thermal reaction. These facts account for the difficulties experienced by other workers. A reinvestigation of the vapour-phase polymerization shows that they also account for the anomalous polymerization observed by Melville (1937), and attributed by him to a ‘bound-bond’ mechanism. Chain termination in the polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate is shown to occur by disproportionation.