Abstract
Initiator performance is determined by halflife temperature and peroxide efficiency. This peroxide efficiency is temperature dependent. Efficient use of an initiator is realised if, after a polymerisation cycle, all the initiator is consumed and transferred into polymer. To realise efficient use of initiators, the use of fast initiators is recommended. Some fast initiators lose too much efficiency at high temperatures, but 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl peroxyneodeca noate is a fast peroxide that does not lose much of its efficiency at high temp erature and can help to increase poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) output. The use of very fast peroxides can also help to increase PVC output. An example of a polymerisation reaction is described using diisobutyryl peroxide as the initiator, to make flexible PVC. In this process an almost square heat profile is realised.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.