Kinetics of polyesterification reaction of sebacic acid and glycerol Basel Hreb – Ahmad Falah - Fawaz Deri

Abstract

 The polyesterification reaction kinetics of sebacic acid and glycerol  were studied in melt phase at different temperatures 140ºC,150ºC,160ºC,170ºC and 185ºC.  During the reaction, the acid value of the synthesised polyester was determined , we found that the polyesterification reaction was overall under second order with an activation energy of 40.7 kj/mol up to (80,81,83,84,90)% conversion. After these conversion, the reaction reaches a state of chemical equilibrium. The relation between the inverse of acid value and time was drawn up and it was linear and is a characteristic of second-order reactions. It was also observed that both the acid value and the logarithm of the acid value decrease with time and are characteristic of second-order reactions too. The Degree of Polymerization, number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight were determined at different times with linear function between the acid value and times.