Visible Blue LED Mediated Aqueous Photochlorination of PVC to CPVC: A Shrinking Core Kinetic Model and Experimental Study

Abstract

The visible blue LED mediated aqueous suspension photochlorination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) is described. A shrinking core model (SCM) of the photochlorination process is proposed by considering diffusional resistances of chlorine gas at various steps involved in the photochlorination of PVC particles. Diffusion of Cl2 through the outer product layer contributes major resistance to the overall reaction, and this is the rate-controlling step. The proposed SCM model estimated values are in close agreement with the experimental data.