Kinetic analysis of the mechanolysis of polymethylmethacrylate in the course of vibratory ball milling at various mechanical energy

We carried out the mechanolysis of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) at various mechanical energies and analyzed kinetically the mechanoradical concentration and molecular weight at various mechanical energies. The radical concentration gradually increased to a maximum and then gradually decreased after reaching the maximum value. It is suggested that the radical quenching reaction (disproportionation and/or recombination) progressed together with radical formation. Kinetic analysis of the mechanoradical concentration indicated that the actual amounts of mechanoradicals produced were larger than observed. It is also suggested that vast numbers of reactions take place in mechanolysis. The molecular weight decreased exponentially toward the limiting value, and the limiting molecular weight was larger with decreases in mechanical energy. It is also suggested that mechanoradical formation is inversely proportional to the change in molecular weight at any given mechanical energy.