Vazo™ free radical initiators from The Chemours Company provide efficient initiation of many chemical reactions, including:
- Acrylic and vinyl polymerizations
- Halogenations
- Oxidations
- Cross-linking
- Additions of small molecules across olefinic double bonds
Vazo™ initiators are substituted azonitrile compounds that thermally decompose to generate two free radicals per molecule along with a mole of nitrogen gas. The rate of decomposition is first-order and is unaffected by contaminants such as metal ions, or by solvent choice.
Vazo™ initiators are used to initiate bulk, solution, suspension, and emulsion polymerizations. Chemours offers Vazo™ initiators in a variety of grades to suit specific use cases. View the full product line and applications below.
Vazo™ Free Radical Initiator Products
Vazo™ free radical initiators come in a variety of grades to fit different applications. When selecting the correct grade and product, there are many key questions to consider, with the temperature at which the reaction is to be run being the most important.
As a general guideline, Vazo™ free radical initiators are intended to be used within a reaction temperature range of 10 to 30 °C (18 to 54 °F) above and below the corresponding grade number. This range, however, is meant to act as a rough guideline only.
For instance, Vazo™ 64 is best used at reaction temperatures between 45 and 90 °C (113 to 194 °F), but has been used up to 125 °C (257 °F) in industrial processes, resulting in a half-life of less than 1 minute.
Another factor in choosing a particular grade is solubility. Vazo™ 56 WSP and 68 WSP are both water soluble grades, while the other Vazo™ products are:
- Water insoluble
- Sparingly soluble in aliphatic hydrocarbons
- Soluble in functionalized organic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons
Vazo™ 67 is significantly more soluble in organic solvents and monomers than the other grades. Caution must be used when handling highly concentrated solutions to avoid a self-accelerating decomposition.
For more information about a specific grade or for assistance finding the correct product for your application , please contact our team of experts.
Use the table below to find the Vazo™ initiators that work best for your use case and needs.
