Markovian Statistics of Nonhomogeneous Copolymer Systems

Nonhomogeneous copolymer systems that follow Markovian kinetics on a microscale will give non-Markovian sequence distributions in the polymer produced. This is because each microdomain is statistically independent of the others and the assumption of statistical stationarity does not apply. Equations that consider non-homogeneity, however, do apply and can reconcile Markovian kinetics and non-Markovian sequence distributions. Failures of systems to follow lower order Markovian mechanisms based on distribution data should be reviewed for nonhomogeneity. Complex mathematical models that can never be validated experimentally should only be considered if nonhomogeneity fails to explain the data adequately.