Microwave polymerization of poly(methyl acrylate) : Conversion studies at variable power

Methyl acrylale (MA) was polymerized by microwave radiation at three different powers, namely. 200, 300, and 500 W. The percentage conversion of the reaction was followed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The specimen temperature during the polymerization process was measured to select a suitable temperature for comparison with the conventional method. The results indicate that a similar comparable temperature of about 52°C was found for all the microwave power settings tested. The microwave polymerization process was compared with that of the thermal method at 52(±1)°C under comparable reaction conditions. The reaction rate enhancement of the microwave polymerization compared to the thermal method was found to be as follows: 275% for the 500 W, 220% for the 300 W, and 138% for the 200 W, indicating a significant correlation between the reaction rate enhancement and the level of microwave power used. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.