processes Article Initiator Feeding Policies in Semi-Batch Free Radical Polymerization: A Monte Carlo Study Ali Seyedi 1, Mohammad Najafi 1,* , Gregory T. Russell 2,* , Yousef Mohammadi 3,*, Eduardo Vivaldo-Lima 4 and Alexander Penlidis 5,* 1 Department of Polymer Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran 1417466191, Iran;
[email protected] 2 School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand 3 Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (NPC-rt), National Petrochemical Company (NPC), P.O. Box 14358-84711, Tehran 1993834557, Iran 4 Facultad de Química, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CU, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
[email protected] 5 Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute for Polymer Research (IPR), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada * Correspondence: najafi
[email protected] (M.N.);
[email protected] (G.T.R.);
[email protected] (Y.M.);
[email protected] (A.P.); Tel.: +519-888-4567 (ext. 36634) (A.P.) Received: 11 September 2020; Accepted: 3 October 2020; Published: 15 October 2020 Abstract: A Monte Carlo simulation algorithm is developed to visualize the impact of various initiator feeding policies on the kinetics of free radical polymerization. Three cases are studied: (1) general free radical polymerization using typical rate constants; (2) diffusion-controlled styrene free radical polymerization in a relatively small amount of solvent; and (3) methyl methacrylate free radical polymerization in solution. The number- and weight-average chain lengths, molecular weight distribution (MWD), and polymerization time were computed for each initiator feeding policy.