Particle growth in butadiene emulsion polymerization, 2. Gamma radiolysis

The kinetics of the emulsion polymerization of butadiene at 60°C in Smith‐Ewart interval III were investigated using gamma radiation to produce initiating species. The aim of this work was to determine radical desorption rate coefficients through monitoring non‐steady state kinetics. The acquired data of the average number of radicals per particle (n) were in good agreement with data obtained from chemically initiated experiments. It was shown that the approach to steady state is kinetically determined and that thermal background initiation is negligible in the butadiene emulsion polymerization. While radical desorption rate coefficient data was determined with high uncertainty, the results are consistent with the transfer diffusion mechanism of radical exit.