Kinetic Aspects of the Monomer-Polymer Equilibrium

Monomer is at equilibrium with its own growing polymer when the rates of propagation and depropagation are equal  

The last equation can be rearranged using activation parameters of propagation and depropagation  

Equation (2-9) allows the calculation of any pair of activation parameters, provided that the other pair is known from independent measurements. For example, tetra-hydrotiophene cannot be polymerized to the corresponding polymer, but it, can be obtained by polycondensation  

The thermodynamics of conversion of a monomer (M) to a polymer segment (m) has been discussed in previous sections in terms of the ideal system, i.e. without taking 

This notation indicates that the monomer M, solvated by an average number x of solvent molecules S is converted into the polymeric segment m, solvated by an average number y of solvent molecules. Polymerization of tetrahydrofuran exemplifies the influence of solvent on thermodynamics. Indeed, [M]e determined for otherwise equal conditions can change by a factor of two when the solvent is changed 16). 

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