Observation of magnetic field effect on polymer yield in photoinduced dispersion polymerization of styrene

Photoinduced dispersion polymerization of styrene in the presence of dibenzyl ketone as a photoinitiator, with or without magnetic field, has been followed with time. The experiments were carried out at low degrees of conversion of monomer. Since the conditions of the polymerization reaction (viscosity of the medium, reagents concentration, etc.) were approximately unchanged, the results were explained on the basis of a simplified model of dispersion polymerization. The normal growth of the polymerization rates with temperature was registered, and the activation energy of the polymerization was estimated to be about 12 kJ/mol in the temperature range from 20 to 60 °C. The magnetic field effect was best seen at low temperature. The maximum yield of the polymerization product increases by 20% when the magnetic field of 1000 G was applied at the temperature of 20 °C.