Application of a compositional rotatable plan in modeling the propylene content in a vinyl chloride/propylene copolymer

Abstract

Using a fractional rotatable plan, the effect of five input parameters of the conduct of the copolymerization process on the amount of propylene built into the copolymer, obtained as a result of free radical suspension copolymerization of vinyl chloride with propylene in a batch suspension polymerization reactor, was analyzed. Using the results obtained, the analysis of variance was carried out and the influence of particular factors and their interactions on the product properties was determined. Thus, it was determined that the greatest influence on the amount of the incorporated propylene in the copolymer is exerted by the amount of propylene introduced into the system, while the effect of the initiator on the product properties analyzed was found to be negligible. A mathematical model was also made, and then it was improved through the use of stepwise regression and verification with the results of laboratory experiments. The adequacy of the achieved model was confirmed using the Fisher-Snedecor test. It was obtained the conformity of the constructed model with the analysis of the influence of particular factors on the propylene content in the copolymer.