Whats the max molecular weight for a single polymer strand of styrne

[Kmenex]

Few quick questions, too lazy to look up this info my self:

1. Whats the max molecular weight for a single polymer strand of styrne (i.e what's the max number of styrenes you can link up).

2. Anyone know about the industrial process to produce ABS?

3. What is a good solvent for Styrene?

4. Does a weak electrical field in a solution containing styrene (with high molarity) adversely affect the molecule?

Thanks!

 

[espen180]

How can you expect others to help you when you are too lazy to do any work yourself?

 

[Kmenex]

Thought someone might know on hand. I read up plenty on the topic and it seems that the college chemistry book says that the polymer can be "infinite length" but that's ******** when it comes to processing. I read a paper online about the length affecting processing.I know about ABS synthesis, but was looking to see if anyone might have some actual industry experience in polymerization reactions (i am at my limit for what wikipedia provides, even my organic chemsitry books don't go into detail and any details online seem to cost money to access)..

As for styrene solvent, i have read on some possible candidates but thought i would ask for a second opinion.

As for the electrical properties. from what i know Styrene is not very polar, and the polymer will not be affected in a weak electrical field. Just wanted a second opinion.

In turn, it is not that i am lazy to look up the info but more so wanted to start a dialog on the issue rather then just rattling around inside my own head. So the answer them selves are more so gateways to discussions that i would like to have.

 

[espen180]

Didn't mean to sound harsh. Sorry if I did. Here are my thoughts.

Since the ploystyrene polymer is made from α-olefin monomers, molecules with even <10⁴ 'th degree polymerization is not a problem, since the reaction is one-way (not like when making polyesters). It is an exothermic reaction which makes me thing continously removing the heat from the reaction container would be a way of increasing the degree of polymerization, but I cannot be sure.

Styrene can be dissolved in acetone. Acetone will also destroy the polystyrene chain.

I cannot comment with certainty about the E-field's effect on the molecule. It does not seem obvious to me that even a strong electric field would have any useul effect. Isn't polystyrene an insulator anyway?

 

[Kmenex]

In general Styrene is not the main focus, for the end product of important consideration is the tri-polymer (is that even correct?) of A.B.S... Considerations of the electrical field have to do with... other processing considerations which we might get into later, if this discussion continues.

In light of the overall aim i appreciate your comment about the temperature, that information is novel to me and thus helps.

Do you know at what rates the acetone will destroy the chain? Or will even a small amount of acetone break the whole chain up. I am thinking that if you start with a specific length of polymer in a solution that is nonreactive, and then add acetone of high molarity very slowly, that you can calculate the rate at which polymer chains are cleaved, thus producing the size of the polymer chains on average with time. In this way, under processing control, you can control the properties of the end material.

Perhaps this is important, perhaps not, but i do think that chemistry is pretty awesome.

In essence, this is kind of what i was having in mind: Nano particle assisted organic chemistry. It's a pretty common practice already, right? Much catalysts and other metallic forms, of nano-metric scales, can produce the conditions necessary for much beneficial work in organic reactions.
So naturally, i am thinking along similar lines, but seeking this specific problem of styrene ( i think it's the gate way monomer).

 

[espen180]

After further reading I have to withdraw the comment about acetone breaking the chains. The polymer is simply in solution, but intermolecular bonds are broken up. It is a physical change, not a chemical one.

 

[Kmenex]

Ahh then the story changes. I do wonder about those intermolecular bonds though. See.. i am trying to set up a processing environment whereby long polymer are chains directionally controlled, highly aligned. Then, i want to try to actually do the ABS polymerization reaction upon this highly aligned volume of styrene polymer without disturbing it too much. Obviously this will require some very precise and subtle chemistry.

The idea involves using a magnetic field to gently move a volume of nano particles "into" and "through" this aligned polymer domain. As the nano particles are in the region of the polymers they are irradiated with a specific wave length of light which affects nano particle surface chemical properties. For example, the surface of the nano particles could be functionalized with a chemical group that would release a free monomer unit.

After reading a bit more on ABS synthesis it seems that Butadiene actually forms the long polymer-strands in ABS, where poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) is a cross linker.

Regardless...

These nano particles could in essence "plant" certain reaction agent "seeds" (say monomers of styrene for the cross linker) in controlled manner throughout the polymer domain, and then you could draw the particles away with magnetic field, leaving the reagent in place. Next you could then draw another set of nano particles into the media and similarly they could release separate chemical agent (say acrylonitrile) upon a signal (light), and then start a reaction.

Basically, trying to get to the idea of "smart" catalysts which can be controlled in terms of their position in solution.. Also, the ability to "draw them away" and re use them is of interest.