General Considerations on the Chemistry of Cross-Linking

A number of theories that attempt to explain the experimental behavior of cross-linked polymers have been proposed, and some of these are briefly reviewed here. A statistical theory of cross-linking was first proposed by Flory in 1941 and expounded on in 1942 in it, he showed that polymers of uniform molecules change the shape of molecular size distribution due to the formation of crosslinks, creating an insoluble fraction after a certain number of cross-links has been formed. Stockmayer proposed a theory dealing with the change in 

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Molecular size distribution in three dimensional polymers. 1. Gelation, 3083, Molecular size distribution in three dimensional polymers. II. Trifunctional branch ing units, 3091, Molecular size distribution in three dimensional polymers. III. Tetrafunctional branching units, 3096 (1941) J. Phys. Chem. 46, 132 (1942). 

Stockmayer, Theory of molecular size distribution and gel formation in branched chain polymers, J. Chem. Phys. 11, 45 (1943) Theory of molecular size distribution and gel formation in branched polymers II. General cross linking, 12, 125 (1944). 

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