Kinetics of polymerization

Due to the relatively fast side reactions consuming both initiator and growth centres, the evaluation of the kinetics of anionic polymerization becomes very difficult. We are dealing with a system of varying concentration of both active species which, according to schemes (45), (51) and (52), can be not only consumed but also regenerated in the complicated set of side reactions. Hence, the key problem of the anionic lactam polymerization consists in the determination of the instantaneous concentrations of lactam anions and growth centres. 

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The kinetics of polymerization are considerably different from those we have considered elsewhere in this chapter. 

More recently, Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the vibrational spectroscopy of polymer Hquid crystals (46) (see Liquid crystalline materials), the kinetics of polymerization (47) (see Kinetic measurements), synthetic polymers and mbbers (48), and stress and strain in fibers and composites (49) (see Composite materials). The relationship between Raman spectra and the stmcture of conjugated and conducting polymers has been reviewed (50,51). In addition, a general review of ft-Raman studies of polymers has been pubUshed (52). 

Kinetics. Details of the kinetics of polymerization of THF have been reviewed (6,148). There are five main conclusions. (/) Macroions are the principal propagating species in all systems. (2) With stable complex anions, such as PF , SbF , and AsF , the polymerization is living under normal polymerization conditions. When initia tion is fast, kinetics of polymerizations in bulk can be closely approximated by equation 2, where/ is the specific rate constant of propagation /is time [I q is the initiator concentration at t = 0 and [M q, [M and [M are the monomer concentrations at t = 0, at equiHbrium, and at time /, respectively. 

Since the publication by the discoverers (3) of chromium oxide catalysts a considerable number of papers devoted to this subject have appeared. Most of them (20-72) deal either with the study of the chromium species on the catalyst surface or with the problem of which of this species is responsible for polymerization. Fewer results have been published on the study of processes determining the polymer molecular weight (78-77) and kinetics of polymerization (78-99). A few papers describe nascent morphology of the polymer formed (100-103). 

The success of the multifunctional initiators in the preparation of block and graft copolymers depends critically on the kinetics and mechanism of radical production. In particular, the initiator efficiency, the susceptibility to and mechanism of transfer to initiator, and the relative stability of the various radical generating functions. Each of these factors has a substantial influence on the nature and homogeneity of the polymer formed. Features of the kinetics of polymerizations initiated by multifunctional initiators have been modeled by O Driscoll and Bevington 64 and Choi and Lei.265... 

If we want to use the Tafel slopes to obtain the empirical kinetics of polymerization, we have to use a metallic electrode coated with a previously electrogenerated thin and uniform film of the polymer in a fresh solution of the monomer. In some cases experimental Tafel plots present the two components (Fig. 4) before and after coating. 

The kinetics of polymerization and conductometric studies of barium polystyrene with one active end-group per chain were reported by De Groof et al. 79,80). Formation of an unconventional anionic species, Ba2 +, (CH(Ph)CH2—)j, had to be postulated to account for the results. The existence of such a species is supported by the recent study of the kinetics of polymerization of lithium polystyrene performed in the presence of barium polystyrene endowed with two active endgroups 78). The polymerization of the lithium salt is retarded by the presence of the barium salt, and the retardation is accounted for by the formation of the inert aggregated anions,... 

Several studies have been published to assess the kinetics of polymerization reactions at high temperatures. (irZ) However, most of these studies only describe experiments conducted at isothermal conditions. Only a few papers are based on adiabatic runaways. This paper is one of the first studies based on "first principles" characterizing adiabatic runaway reactions. 

Oosawa F, Akakura S. Kinetics of Polymerization. Thermodynamics of the Polymerization of Protein. New York Academic Press, 1975 41-55. 

Why must we include an efficiency term in the rate equation describing the effect of the initiator on the kinetics of polymerization What does this term account for ... 

The polymerization temperature, through its effects on the kinetics of polymerization, is a particularly effective means of control, allowing the preparation of macroporous polymers with different pore size distributions from a single composition of the polymerization mixture. The effect of the temperature can be readily explained in terms of the nucleation rates, and the shift in pore size distribution induced by changes in the polymerization temperature can be accounted for by the difference in the number of nuclei that result from these changes [61,62]. For example, while the sharp maximum of the pore size distribution profile for monoliths prepared at a temperature of 70 °C is close to 1000 nm, a very broad pore size distribution curve spanning from 10 to 1000 nm with no distinct maximum is typical for monolith prepared from the same mixture at 130°C [63]. 

Organochloroaluminate ionic liquids as catalysts, 42 495-496 Organochromium catalysis attachment to support, 33 92-93 kinetics of polymerization, 33 93 support effects, 33 94-95 termination mechanism, 33 93-94 Organochromium catalysts, 33 58, 92-95... 

Comparison between Polymer Type and Kinetics of Polymerization... 

COMPARISON BETWEEN POLYMER TYPE AND KINETICS OF POLYMERIZATION... 

How do the kinetics of polymerization differ in the bulk and suspension polymerization methods ... 

A key point should be to identify the rate-limiting step of the polymerization. Several studies indicate that the formation of the activated open monomer is the rate-limiting step. The kinetics of polymerization obey the usual Michaelis-Menten equation. Nevertheless, all experimental data cannot be accounted for by this theory. Other studies suggest that the nature of the rate-limiting step depends upon the structure of the lactone. Indeed, the reaction of nucleophilic hydroxyl-functionalized compounds with activated opened monomers can become the rate-limiting step, especially if stericaUy hindered nucleophilic species are involved. 

The kinetics of polymerization are of prime interest from two viewpoints. The practical synthesis of high polymers requires a knowledge of the kinetics of the polymerization reaction. From the theoretical viewpoint the significant differences between step and chain polymerizations reside in large part in their respective kinetic features. 

Although reversible or equilibrium polymerizations would almost always be carried out in an irreversible manner, it is interesting to consider the kinetics of polymerization for the case in which the reaction was allowed to proceed in a reversible manner. (The kinetics of reversible ring-opening polymerizations are discussed in Sec. 7-2b-5). 

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