Fabricio M. Silva

Monitoring and Control of Polymerization Reactors Using NIR Spectroscopy

Abstract: The development and use of microprocessor-based devices improved the speed and reliability of transmission and manipulation of data. More recently, some monitoring techniques were greatly improved by the combination of spectroscopic methods and fiber optics technology, which allow for the in situ and in-line acquisition of process data, consequently allowing for reduction of time delays normally involved with sample preparation. Among them, techniques based on the near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have certainly become the most important ones. The main objective of this paper is to review the use of NIR spectroscopy as an alternative technique for polymerization process monitoring and control, presenting and discussing successful applications of NIR spectroscopy as a tool for in situ and in-line monitoring and control of solution, suspension, and emulsion polymerization processes.