Online Low-Field 1H NMR Spectroscopy: Monitoring of Emulsion Polymerization of Butyl Acrylate

The emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate was monitored by online nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 20 MHz 1H frequency. The reaction progress could be followed, monitoring the conversion of the reactant time-resolved without any need of sample preparation. Experimental data were analyzed with kinetic models for free-radical polymerization. The data comprised the polymerization rate in seeded batch emulsion polymerizations of butyl acrylate with doubly deionized water and D2O as solvent. The polymerization rate versus conversion curve behaves compatible with the three rate intervals model, typically observed in emulsion polymerizations. Zero−one kinetics explains the experimental results appropriately, leading to the determination of entry and termination rate coefficients.