Continuous emulsion copolymerization processes at mild conditions in a 3D-printed tubular bended reactor

A polylactic acid tubular bended reactor, printed by fused deposition modeling with a short and narrow residence time distribution, air-cooled, and with dead volumes below 5 vol% was integrated into a modular reaction system enabling product changes in the running system. Continuous, redox-initiated emulsion copolymerizations of styrene - butyl acrylate and of vinyl acetate - neodecanoic acid vinyl ester were successfully performed with 20 and 40 wt% monomer in the feed. Copolymerizations had an ambient starting temperature with a mean residence time of 5 and 15 min, conversions were between 81 and 99%. The resulting emulsions were stable with Zeta potential values up to –132.0 mV and no product adhesion to the reactor wall was found. A stable steady state of the reaction plant was also obvious from thermal imaging, showing an invariant temperature profile along the 3D-printed reactor. The high versatility of the reactor system was shown by a grade transition between the copolymer systems with 20 wt% monomer content.

Subjects

3D-printed reactor

Continuous emulsion copolymerization

Redox initiation

Thermal imaging

DDC Class

540: Chemie

660: Technische Chemie

More Funding Information

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Continuous emulsion copolymerization processes at mild conditions in a 3D-printed tubular bended reactor