Kinetic Parameters of the Initiator Decomposition in Microwave and in Conventional Batch Reactors - KPS and V50-Case Studies

• Published in: Macromolecular reaction engineering 2015-08, Vol.9 (4), p.366-373
• Main Authors: Costa, Cristiane, Alberton, André L., Santos, Alexandre F., Fortuny, Montserrat, Araújo, Pedro H. H., Sayer, Claudia, Pinto, José Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrhenius equation; Decomposition; initiators; kinetic parameters; Kinetics; microwave reactor; polymerization reaction; Reactors
• ISSN: 1862-832X; 1862-8338
• DOI: 10.1002/mren.201500013

Different values of the kinetic rate constants have been reported for initiator decompositions carried out in microwave and conventional batch reactors. The present work analyzes the confidence regions of kinetic parameters estimated for the thermal decomposition of two initiators, potassium persulfate (KPS) and 2‐2′‐azobis(2‐methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (V‐50), which confirm the difference between the parameters obtained in microwave and conventional reactors. Moreover, by assuming no changes in kinetics under microwave heating, the temperature and volume of hot spots required to explain the apparent increase of kinetic rate constants are calculated. The results suggest that formation of hot spots may explain the observed effects without the occurrence of additional phenomena. This work presents a thorough statistical analysis of parameters used to describe the kinetic rate constants of microwave‐assisted decomposition of initiators. The confidence regions of the estimated parameters confirm the difference for microwave and conventional heating. The relation of temperature and volume of hot spots can explain the increase of kinetic rate constants as a thermal effect.