Polymer Reaction Kinetics: Process and Simulation for the Undergraduate Laboratory

聚合物的性质，如分子量和共聚物组成，高度依赖于它们制造的工艺条件。需要提高本科化学家和化学工程师对聚合物科学跨学科领域的基本概念的理解。这是通过反应模拟器与实验设计、反应器操作和过程测量的耦合来完成的。该设备是专门为此目的：1)用于模拟器开发和研究的微型计算机；2)计算机控制的实验室反应器，用于计量反应物，控制、监测和记录反应条件；3)测定转化的单体/聚合物监测设备。传统的聚合物实验课程几乎不涉及各种聚合物合成背后的决策过程，然后只是定性的方式。此外，监测和控制过程的重要性通常被测量聚合物性质的需要所掩盖。这些是高度相互依存的，同样重要。在这两个领域的本科经验是必要的，特别是在实验室化学家和工厂工程师之间的沟通日益重要的情况下。

Polymer properties, such as molecular weight and copolymer composition, are highly dependent on the process conditions under which they are made. The enhancement in understanding of the underlying concepts by undergraduate chemists and chemical engineers in the interdisciplinary field of polymer science is needed. This is to be accomplished by the coupling of reaction simulators with experimental design, reactor operation and process measurement. The equipment is specific for this purpose: 1) microcomputers for simulator development and studies; 2) computer controlled laboratory reactor for metering reactants and controlling, monitoring and recording reaction conditions; and 3) monomer/polymer monitoring equipment for determining conversion. Traditional polymer lab courses barely touch on the decision making processes behind the synthesis of various polymers and then only in a qualitative manner. In addition, the importance of monitoring and controlling the process is typically overshadowed by the need to measure the polymer properties. These are highly interdependent and of equal importance. An undergraduate's experience in both areas is necessary particularly with the increasing importance placed on communication between the bench chemist and the plant engineer.