End-group chemistry

The modification of polymer end-group chemistry has been utilized as a method of controlling the surface activity of polymeric materials. The synthesis of polymers with low surface energy end-groups can generate sufficient thermodynamic driving forces to dictate that polymer surface chemistry is dominated by end-groups. 

These two approaches, condensation and ring opening polymerization, have been developed by many workers through the years to the point that a wide variety of polymers and copolymers with controlled molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and chemical composition are now available in both linear and branched forms with a variety of end group chemistries. 

NMR instruments can also be used to obtain fundamental structural information on polymers such as end group chemistry, branch points and structural isomerism. It is also possible to use IR for the latter, although some of the isomeric stmctures have relatively weak absorptions which makes detection difficult when they are at a low concentration. 

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