2020 Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting
(262h) EP-3dP: A Continuous Emulsion Polymerization Platform for Customizing Emulsion Polymerization
Authors
McMillin, R. III - Presenter, Virginia Commonwealth University
Ferri, J. K., Virginia Commonwealth University
Emulsions represent a large, valuable class of interfacial systems with wide ranging applications, including the manufacture of adhesives. Emulsification is a process of liquid-liquid phase dispersion that depends on a combination of extrinsic (eg. velocity, unit operation geometry) and intrinsic (eg. hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, molecular geometry) features to produce a complex fluid characterized by a mean droplet size a and drop size distribution (DSD). The controlled production of emulsions is inherent to the creation of efficient emulsion polymerization formulations, utilized in the manufacturing of pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Emulsion polymerization is a type of polymerization where the monomer is emulsified in a continuous phase containing surfactant micelles. The monomer diffuses into the micelles and undergoes polymerization, creating small dispersed polymer particles. Typically, this is done in batch reactors. Utilizing additive manufacturing (3dP) methods, efficient, continuous emulsification devices can be created. By varying the complex internal geometry, mean droplet size and DSD can be tuned to the optimal emulsion polymerization conditions. Further, by sequencing the emulsifier with a plug flow reactor (PFR), the entire emulsion polymerization process can be done continuously. This allows for quicker, more precise condition changes and experimentation. We discuss the development of a continuous emulsion polymerization platform that allows for nearly continuous variation in the emulsification and polymerization design space, using Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a model system. We anticipate that the high-throughput characteristics of this system will allow for the development of large datasets to guide machine learning applications for emulsion-based formulations and processes.