The kinetics of radical polymerization of ethylene. I. General kinetics

Photosensitized polymerization of ethylene in benzene solution has been studied at 83 ° C. using azoisopropane as initiator. Experiments were conducted in the concentration range from 6.5 to 28.1 wt.‐% of ethylene and at pressures equal to the vapor pressure of the solutions. The apparent order of reaction with respect to the monomer varies from 1 to 1.5. The intensity exponent exceeds 0.5 and increases with increasing initiator concentration. Chain transfer constants with monomer, solvent, and initiator have been determined. Their values are: k 4 / k 2 = 5 x 10 −4 , k s / k 2 = 2 x 10 −3 , and k K / k 2 = 0.5 ± 0.1, respectively.