Model-Based Reactor Design to Control Hyperbranched Polymer Architecture

作者：Tobita Hidetaka^*

来源：Macromolecular Reaction Engineering, 2018, 12(4): 1700065.

DOI：10.1002/mren.201700065

• CSTR
• hyperbranched
• Monte Carlo simulation
• radius of gyration
• tanks-in-series

A Monte Carlo simulation method, based on the random sampling technique in which a large number of polymers are sampled from the final product, is proposed for the continuous tanks-in-series process. The effect of the sequence of tanks with different sizes is considered for the irreversible step polymerization of AB(2)-type monomer. It is found that the tank sequence starting from a large tank followed by a number of smaller tanks is suitable to produce compact hyperbranched polymers, whose mean-square radii of gyration are much smaller than those formed in batch polymerization. Analytic formulas of the average molecular weights are presented for the tanks-in-series processes, including the post-processes to make the molecular weight distribution narrower by removing residual monomer and by introducing multifunctional core molecules. The present investigation enhances fundamental knowledge that would be useful for the model-based reactor design to control detailed branched architecture of the hyperbranched polymers.

• 出版日期2018-8