Effect of silver salts on emulsion polymerization systems containing butadiene

The addition of silver nitrate to polymerizable systems containing butadiene can result in increased over‐all rates of conversion. When butadiene is the only monomer and a cationic soap is used the addition of silver nitrate causes* a significant decrease in rate. The most active system studied was one which contained butadiene, styrene, a cationic soap, a peroxide, and silver nitrate. Comparison runs in a GR‐S type formulation with silver nitrate and potassium ferricyanide indicate that the silver salt is the more effective in producing higher over‐all rates of conversion.