Theoretical studies on the degradation of ladder polymers

The random degradation of four- and six-membered ring ladder polymers was simulated on a digital computer by utilizing a Monte Carlo model. The degradation was compared with that of a single-chain linear polymer undergoing an identical degradation reaction. Significant differences in the change in molecular weight as a function of time were noted between the ladder polymer and the single chain polymer. Similar studies were conducted with imperfect ladder polymers which had occasional missing bonds in the ladder structure. These imperfections produced a marked drop in molecular weight at a given time compared with the perfect ladder polymer.