Method and apparatus for screening of polycondensation catalysts

Apparatus suitable for performing a method for screening of polycondensation catalysts, wherein at least two polycondensation catalysis reactions are performed simultaneously under substantially equivalent conditions in at least two reaction cells which are present in one and the same sealable reaction room, using a sample comprising material to be polycondensated and a catalysts to be screened, and wherein the performances of the catalysts are analyzed,

• the apparatus comprising:
• said sealable reaction room in the form of a flat-bottomed kettle with a gasket-sealed top containing at least two reaction cells for holding a sample comprising of material to be polycondensated and an added catalyst to be screened;
• vacuum means in the form of a vacuum pump connected to said sealable reaction room for providing a reduced pressure of <100 mbar in the reaction room;
• heating means in the form of a heat transfer medium for providing a substantially equivalent temperature of >150° C. in the reaction cells,
• wherein the at least two reaction cells are arranged such that a substantially equivalent temperature in substantially all reaction cells can be maintained.

Method for screening of polycondensation catalysts, wherein at least two polycondensation catalysis reactions are performed simultaneously under substantially equivalent conditions in at least two reaction cells wherein the at least two reaction cells are in the form of vials, using a homogeneous sample comprising material to be polycondensated and a catalyst to be screened, and wherein the performances of the catalysts are analyzed, wherein

• the samples are made by adding the catalyst to be screened to the material to be polycondensated, and stirring the mixture to obtain a homogeneous sample;
• the polycondensation reactions are performed in the at least two reaction cells which are present in one reaction room, wherein the one reaction room is equipped with a heating means;
• the reaction room is heated such that the reaction cells in the reaction room have, at least temporarily, a substantially equivalent temperature of a value >150° C.;
• the reaction room is depressurized such that in the reaction room, at least temporarily, a reduced pressure <100 mbar is maintained;
• and
• in each separate reaction cell a pre-selected amount of sample is used in the form of a film on a surface of the reaction cell such that a ratio of sample weight to reaction cell surface area covered with said film of less than 1 g/cm2 is obtained and after the polycondensation reactions have been performed the separate samples are analyzed.