Aqueous Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by the Potassium Bromate-Thiomalic Acid Redox System

The redox system composed of potassium bromate and thiomalic acid was used to initiate the aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate under nitrogen atmosphere at 35 ± 0.2°C. The initial rates of polymerization have been found to be approximately proportional to the first power of the initiator concentration in the range of 2.5 to 6.0 ± 10−3 M and to the first power (1.15) of monomer concentration in the range of 3.72 to 11.16 ± 10−2 M The overall rate was independent of activator concentration, approaching a maximum at 10 × 10−3 M. The overall energy of activation was found to be 8.80 kcal/mol. The initial rate and the maximum conversion attained a maximum value at 35°C in the temperature range of 20 to 45°C.