Studies on addition polymerization in mixed solvent system. Part I. Chain transfer of water in polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The role of water as a chain-transfer agent in addition polymerization of methyl methacrylate and acrylamide in a mixed solvent system was studied. Water does not have any transfer with the growing polymer radical. The degree of polymerization is found to increase with increasing water concentration. This is probably due to a reduced termination rate resulting from coiling of the polymer chain in the presence of a nonsolvent like water.