Suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride at high conversion, modelling conversion and tracer response by gas chromatography

The objectives of this work are to develop a general model which can be used to calculate VCM (Vinyl Chloride Monomer) conversion, using polymerization conditions and tracer responses over the entire conversion range, and to evaluate the model using the experimental data. Experimental data indicate that the model relates the conversion to the tracer response by gas chromatography. n-Butane as a tracer has an appropriate retention time with good separation from VCM under the experimental conditions. This technique, therefore, can be used to study kinetics for vinyl chloride polymerization, and hopefully to monitor the polymerization processes on an industrial scale. If retention time of tracer is further reduced, the tracer information may be used in PVC reactor control.