Use of Water as an Internal Standard in the Direct Monitoring of Emulsion Polymerization by Fiber-Optic Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

Direct analysis of the organic phase of an emulsion polymerization is described. Quantification uses the bending mode peak of water, which makes up the bulk of the reaction medium, as an internal standard. Although demonstrated with methyl methacrylate, the process is generally applicable to emulsion polymerizations. It does not require the introduction of an extraneous internal standard component into the reaction mixture.