Journal of Thermodynamics & Catalysis
Open Access

Abstract

Statistical Analysis of the Catalyst and Activator Level on In Situ Polymerization of Laurolactam during Reactive Melt Blending

Faridirad F, Ahmadi S, Barmar MD and Naderi G

In the present paper, in situ ring opening anionic polymerization of laurolactam towards polyamide 12 (PA12) was investigated, during reactive melt blending. The reaction was taken place in an internal mixer, in the presence of sodium caprolactam (catalyst), and toluene diisocyanate (activator). The effect of catalyst and activator contents on initiation time of the reaction and the residual monomer was carried out in this study. Solvent extraction method was used in order to remove the residual monomer. The experimentation is further undergone to statistical analysis to extract the absolute optimal values of activator- catalyst content in synthesized polyamide 12. Two-factor design in Response Surface Method (RMS) is suitably applied for validation analysis of experimental data. The optimum content of catalyst and activator was obtained 2.53% and 1.15%, which offers the polyamide 12 with minimum residual monomer equal to 1.26%.