| Abstract: | A method for the theoretical analysis of branching in radical polymerization is presented which includes the dynamics of the process. In particular, the method is applied to a polymerization that occurs by decomposition of initiator, propagation, termination by radical combination, and chain transfer with polymer. By a numerical solution of the kinetic equations (suitably transformed), the time dependence of the number-average degree of polymerization (DP), the weight-average DP, the mean number of branches, and the monomer conversion are obtained. The parameters of the process, that is the rate coefficients and initial concentrations, have the following effects: (1) An increase in the chain transfer coefficient increases the ratio of weight-average to number-average Xw/Xn and the mean number of branches Xb, but does not change the number-average Xn. (2) For a given value of the chain transfer coefficient, a change in the parameters of the process such that Xn increases, causes Xw/Xn and Xb to increase also. (3) Chain transfer with polymer seems to produce relatively few polymer molecules having many branches and a large number of smaller polymer molecules having no branches; consequently, the polymer size (or molecular weight) distribution broadens. |
