Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate with Irradiated Low Molecular Weight Organic Solids

Abstract

The polymerization of vinyl acetate with trapped radicals in various organic solids, especially lauTic acid, irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-rays, was investigated. It was observed that vinyl acetate is polymerized with various irradiated organic solids but its rate of polymerization is low. As one of the cause of this low yield, the recombination of radicals, formed by the dissolution of irradiated organic solids in monomer solutions, may be considered.
In the polymerization of vinyl acetate with pre-irradiated lauric acid at 20° C, the yield of poly (vinyl acetate) was maximum when methanol content in monomer solution used to control solubility of lauric acid was 7.7 percent and when prerradiation dose on lauric acid was 2∼4 MR.
The effect of polymerization temperature on the yield of poly (vinyl acetate) is important. At low temperature, the polymerization of vinyl acetate appeared to be mainly induced by trapped radicals but in the case of polymerization at 60° C, it seemed to be initiated by decomposition of peroxide produced with irradiation.