Mechanical Activation of Inorganic Powders by vibromilling

Abstract

Mechanochemical polymerization of vinyl monomers on vibromilled aluminum, iron and silica powders were examined at 293 K. It was found that aluminum and silica powders were effective as an initiator for the polymerization even after milling. The order of the monomer reactivity on the vibromilled silica powder was vinyl acetate < styrene < methyl methacrylate < acrylonitrile and it was in agreement with the order of monomer reactivity in anionic polymerization. The activity of examined powders as the initiator for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate was iron < aluminum ≃ silica and it was explained by the emission intensities and the kinetic energies of exoelectron emitted from powders.