Chain transfer to 2-mercaptoethanol in methacrylic acid polymerization in aqueous solution

Abstract

The chain-transfer constant, CS = ktr / kp , of 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) for methacrylic acid (MAA) polymerization in aqueous solution has been measured at MAA concentrations between 5 and 30 wt% to be 0.12 ± 0.01 at 50 °C. Analysis has been carried out via both the Mayo and the chain-length distribution (CLD) methods. No change of C S with monomer concentration is observed. The chain-transfer rate coeffi cient, k tr , thus exhibits the same strong dependence on monomer concentration as the propagation rate coeffi - cient, kp . © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.