The rate of emulsion polymerization of styrene over the entire range of monomer conversion in isothermal batch operations was measured, with changing monomer to water phase ratio, types of emulsifiers and their concentrations and initiator concentration. The rate of reaction was separately analyzed in three reaction region, such as the induction, the zero-order and the first order reaction region. The rate expressions for each reaction region and for acceleration effect on the rate were obtained. Predicted values by these expressions agreed well with the experimental data.
The theory proposed by Smith and Ewart on the mechanism of the formation of polymer particles was also ascertained.