Influence of tetramethylthiuram disulfide on polymerizations of styrene and methyl methacrylate .1. Influence on kinetics of polymerization

Relations for the total polymerization rates for the polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of tetramethylthiuram disulfide were derived. The participation of tetramethylthiuram disulfide radicals in mutual and cross-termination reactions was characterized by complex constants B and C, respectively. The differences in the activation energies for the tetramethylthiuram disulfide decomposition and the first addition of tetramethylthiuram disulfide radicals to monomer molecules, in styrene and methyl methacrylate polymerizations, showed the possibility of partly different mechanisms for the removal of tetramethylthiuram disulfide radicals in these systems. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.