Solution polymerization of styrene using biodiesel as a solvent: Effect of biodiesel feedstock

Increasing environmental concerns regarding solvents commonly used in solution polymerization has led to a search for alternatives, such as biodiesel (a.k.a. fatty acid methyl esters or FAME). The effect of the feedstock used in biodiesel production when FAME is used as a polymerization solvent was studied for styrene. A series of homopolymerizations was carried out at different solvent concentrations for two biodiesel feedstocks: soybean oil and 50% yellow grease–50% canola oil. Results were compared to FAME produced from canola oil. Considerable differences in the rate of polymerization were observed, while chain transfer to solvent constants had comparable values. The collected kinetic experimental data were modelled using a polymerization simulator. Les preoccupations environnementales croissantes concernant les solvants communement utilises dans la polymerisation en solution a incite a rechercher d'autres options, telles que le biodiesel (esters methyliques d'acides gras a.k.a. ou FAME). L'effet de la charge d'alimentation utilisee en production de biodiesel lorsque le FAME est utilise comme solvant de polymerisation a ete etudie pour le styrene. Une serie d'homopolymerisations a ete realisee a differentes concentrations de solvants pour deux charges d'alimentation de biodiesel: de l'huile de soja et un melange de 50% de graisse jaune et 50% d'huile de canola. Les resultats ont ete compares a ceux obtenus avec des FAME produits a partir de l'huile de canola. Des differences considerables ont ete observees dans la vitesse de polymerisation, tandis que le transfert de chaines aux constantes des solvants a des valeurs comparables. Les donnees experimentales cinetiques ont ete modelisees a l'aide d'un simulateur de polymerisation.