Aspects of applying n‐pulse periodic initiation in pulsed laser polymerization/size‐exclusion chromatography (PLP/SEC) experiments are studied via simulation of molecular weight distributions (MWDs). In n‐pulse periodic PLP/SEC, sequences of n laser pulses at successive time intervals Δt1 up to Δtn are periodically applied. With the dark time intervals being suitably chosen, n‐modal MWDs with n well separated peaks occur. The n‐pulse periodic PLP/SEC method has the potential for providing accurate propagation rate coefficients, kp. Among several measures for kp, the differences in molecular weights at the MWD peak positions yield the best estimate of kp under conditions of medium and high pulse laser‐induced free‐radical concentration. Deducing kp from n dark time intervals (corresponding to n regions of free‐radical chain length) within one experiment at otherwise identical PLP/SEC conditions allows addressing in more detail a potential chain‐length dependence of kp. Simulations are compared with experimental data for 2‐pulse periodic polymerization of methyl methacrylate.
Measured MWD (solid line) and associated first derivative curve (dotted line) for a 2‐pulse periodic bulk polymerization experiment of MMA at 20 °C.
