Controlled Electroinduced Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate in the Presence of Catalytic Amount of Cerium(IV)

Abstract

By using the advantage of the electroinduced system being ecologically preferred system to chemical polymerizations, controlled electroinduced Methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization was realized with high yields and in short period of times by the use of catalytic amount of cerium(IV) [Ce(IV)] which is continuously regenerated. Progress of polymerization was followed electrochemically (cyclovoltametry, CV) and spectrophotometrically(Uv–vis spectrophotometry, by the absorbance changes of catalyst).

Electroinduced polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of Ce(IV), which allows Ce(III) to be converted to Ce(IV) electrochemically during polymerization due to fast electron transfer rate of Ce(IV)/Ce(III) redox system was performed, comparatively chemical method (oxidative). The effect of Ce(IV), monomer and sulphuric acid concentration, temperature, time, air, light and solvent on the polymerization yield was studied and compared with nonelectrolytic conditions.

Resulting polymers were characterized by FT-IR and UV–Visible spectrophotometry and molecular weight of polymers were determined by GPC and viscometric measurements.

Possible polymerization mechanisms are suggested in the case of electrolytic and nonelectrolytic conditions. Electrolytic process has an advantage over the nonelectrolytic method in which 20% higher yields obtained comparing to nonelectrolytic methods with a very narrow molecular weight distribution compared to chemical method.

Keywords:

• Polymethylmethacrylate
• Electroinduced polymerization
• Ceric salt
• Electrocatalytic polymerization

Acknowledgments