GOALI: Semi-Batch High-Temperature Polymerization: Mathematical Modeling and Optimization

低平均分子量和低多分散指数的聚合物在油漆和涂料工业中有许多应用。生产这种聚合物需要严格控制聚合物的分子量分布。控制是通过调节温度，稀释反应混合物，并加入链转移剂，硫醇，和钴glyxins。液相、高温、自由基聚合用于生产低平均分子量聚合物。初步结果还表明,高温、自由基聚合的丙烯酸丁酯(BA)会导致生产poly-dispersity指数低,英航聚合物。因此，高温聚合为生产所需的聚合物产品提供了更好的可控性。这个NSF GOALI项目是由德雷塞尔大学和杜邦公司共同努力的，旨在提高通过高温溶液聚合生产的丙烯酸酯和苯乙烯、均质聚合物和共聚物的质量。这个工业学院项目的动机是需要采取一种基本的方法来提高产品质量。PI Soroush将在杜邦公司的马歇尔实验室进行为期一年的研究和教育活动：*研究液相、高温（140-200℃）、自由基、BA和甲基丙烯酸丁酯（BMA）均聚反应的动力学，为高温、BA和BMA、半批、聚合反应器建立数学模型。*计算最佳温度和进料流量曲线，以及高温，半批，BA和BMA，聚合反应器的加载条件。*制定一套工业、过程建模、开放式问题，作为项目分配给在德雷塞尔大学学习过程建模课程的本科生。

Polymers with low average molecular weight and a low polydispersity index have many applications in the paint and coating industry. Production of such polymers requires tight control of the molecular-weight distribution of the polymers. Control is achieved by adjusting the temperature, diluting the reaction mixture, and adding chain transfer agents, mercaptans, and cobalt glyxins. Liquid-phase, high-temperature, free-radical polymerization is used to produce low average-molecular-weight polymers. Preliminary results also show that high-temperature, free-radical polymerization of butyl acrylate (BA) can lead to the production of low poly-dispersity index, BA polymers. Thus, high-temperature polymerization offers better controllability to produce the desired polymer product.This NSF GOALI project is a joint effort between Drexel University and DuPont aimed at improving the quality of acrylate and styrenic, homo-polymers and copolymers produced via high-temperature, solution polymerization. This Faculty-in-Industry project is motivated by the need to take a fundamental approach to improve the product quality. The PI Soroush will spend one year in DuPont's Marshall Laboratory to pursue the following research and education activities: *Study the kinetics of liquid-phase, high-temperature (140-200oC), free-radical, BA and butyl methacrylate (BMA), homopolymerization reactions to develop mathematical models for high-temperature, BA and BMA, semi-batch, polymerization reactors. *Calculation of optimal temperature and feed flow-rate profiles as well as loading conditions for high-temperature, semi-batch, BA and BMA, polymerization reactors. *Formulation of a set of industrial, process modeling, open-ended problems to be assigned as projects to undergraduate students taking the process modeling courses at Drexel University.