Polymerization monitoring using an in-line infrared sensor.

Abstract

The development of comprehensive methods to control polymer quality in terms of polymer reactor operation and polymer property trajectory monitoring during a polymerization reaction is key to the efficient production of tailored, high quality polymers and the improvement of plant operability and economics. To this end, an in-line mid-IR probe manufactured by ASI Applied Systems was used to monitor single and multicomponent solution and emulsion polymerization processes. The probe, which employs Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), is capable of collecting, information on the state and behaviour of polymerization reactions in a chemically aggressive and highly viscous reactor environment. In this study, the disappearance of monomer was monitored using the probe by following the changes of characteristic infrared absorbance peaks of monomers. Experimental procedures were designed to ensure the proper use of the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy technique to perform off-line and in-line monitoring of multicomponent polymerization systems. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)