Photoacoustic monitoring of inhomogeneous curing processes in polystyrene emulsions

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Vol. 35; no. 13; pp. 1532 - 1537
• Main Authors: Vargas-Luna, M, Gutiérrez-Juárez, G, Rodríguez-Vizcaíno, J M, Varela-Nájera, J B, Rodríguez-Palencia, J M, Bernal-Alvarado, J, Sosa, M, Alvarado-Gil, J J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 07.07.2002; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Free radical polymerization; Emulsion polymerization; Styrene polymer; Kinetics; Measurement method; Experimental study; Optoacoustic effect; Latex
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/35/13/313

The time evolution of the inhomogeneous curing process of polystyrene emulsions is studied using a variant of the conventional photoacoustic (PA) technique. The thermal effusivity, as a function of time, is determined in order to monitor the sintering process of a styrene emulsion in different steps of the manufacturing procedure. PA measurements of thermal effusivity show a sigmoidal growth as a function of time during the curing process. The parameterization of these curves permits the determination of the characteristic curing time and velocity of the process. A decreasing of the curing time and an increasing curing velocity for the final steps of the manufacturing process are observed. The feasibility of our approach and its potentiality for the characterization of other curing process are discussed.