Free radical polymerization depolymerization equilibrium

It is not practical to conduct free-radical polymerizations under conditions where there is an equilibrium between polymerization and depolymerization processes. The polymer synthesis is effectively irreversible in normal radical polymerizations. The course of the reaction is then determined kinetically, and the molecular weight distribution cannot be predicted statistically as was done for equilibrium step-growth polymerizations described in Chapters. 

Problem 6.41 If a free-radical polymerization of 1.0 M solution of methyl methacrylate was being carried out at 100°C, what would be the maximum possible conversion of the monomer to polymer, that is, till the polymerization-depolymerization equilibrium is reached (Take relevant data from Table 6.13.)... 

Ulanski P, Merenyi G, Lind J, Wagner R, von Sonntag C (1999) The reaction of methyl radicals with hydrogen peroxide. J Chem Soc Perkin Trans 2 673-676 Ulanski P, Bothe E, Hildenbrand K, von Sonntag C (2000) Free-radical-induced chain breakage and depolymerization of polyfmethacrylic acid). Equilibrium polymerization in aqueous solution at room temperature. Chem Eur J 6 3922-3934... 

This equation permits the calculation of equilibrium constants for polymerization-depolymerization from copolymer composition data extrapolated to zero Mi feed. The agreement between equilibrium constants calculated in this manner from free radical copolymerizations and those obtained from anionic homopolymerizations is shown in Table II, and again emphasizes the thermodynamic character of this work. 

Thus the values shown in Table 1.8 are for standard conditions and represent just one of a series of ceiling temperatures for various monomer concentrations above which polymer formation is not favoured. Thus, in a bulk polymerization reaction the ceiling temperature may change with conversion in such a way that complete conversion is not achieved. For example, if methyl methacrylate is polymerized at 110°C the value of [M]c calculated from the above equation is 0.139M and this will be the monomer concentration in equilibrium with the polymer. The polymer, when removed from the monomer, will have the expected ceiling temperature as given in Table 1.8 and will depolymerize only if there is a source of free radicals to initiate the depolymerization (Section 1.4.1)... 

The requirement of the presence of the polymerization catalyst in the depolymerization process stems from the principle of microscopic reversibility. If, for example, all free radicals are removed from the system by simply endcapping the polymer, the thermodynamic equilibrium dictates that depolymerization state cannot be reached and the system will be stable. This was the approach employed by Ito and Willson in stabilizing polyphthaldehyde resists. [See for example, C.G. Willson, H. Ito, J.M.J. Frechet, T.G. Tessier, F.M. Houlihan, Approaches toward the design of radiation sensitive polymeric imaging systems with improved sensitivity and resolution, J. Electro chem. Soc. 133, 181 (1986)]. 

If the active center marked by the asterisk is, for example, an anion, then very often no side reaction occurs the polymerization equilibrium can be directly observed. If, however, the active center is a free radical, this can react by recombination with another free radical the dead polymer molecule so formed no longer carries an active center and, so, can no longer participate in the polymerization equilibrium. But as long as the reversibility of the reactions considered can be sustained, then, the position of the equilibrium is independent of the path taken to attain it. The equilibrium position may be reached via polymerization or depolymerization and the mechanism involved may be ionic or free radical. 

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