Reactor Fouling in Emulsion Polymerization
Jone Urrutia, José M. Asúa
Abstract
Emulsion polymerization is the method of choice for the production of waterborne dispersed polymers used in a broad range of applications including coatings and adhesives. Because of their huge surface area, waterborne dispersed polymers are thermodynamically unstable colloids prone to forming polymer deposits on the reactor wall. Fouling decreases heat transfer, lowering the productivity of the reactors and affecting the quality of the product. Fouling of emulsion polymerization reactors is investigated. It was found that the mere presence of monomer led to an increase in fouling due to the reduction of the glass transition temperature of the monomer-swollen particles. Polymerization caused a strong increase in fouling, and this effect was more pronounced as the amount of monomer in the system increased. The effect was attributed to the formation of unstable polymer particle precursors.