Molecular weight suppression enhancement

The reasons behind this accelerated rate behavior have been attributed to a decrease in chain transfer processes (28,29) and a decreased termination rate (24,25) indicated by molecular weight measurements (26). Recently, direct evidence of decreases in the termination rate have been shown (27) and in these studies both the termination and propagation kinetic constants were determined for polymerizations exhibiting enhanced rates in a smectic phase. The propagation constant, kp, decreases slightly in the ordered phase from the isotropic polymerization. Such a decrease would be expected because of the lower temperature in the smectic phase. The termination kinetic constant, kt, however, decreases almost two orders of magnitude for the ordered polymerization, indicating a dramatically suppressed termination rate. 

While nonideal interactions can prevent accurate estimates of molecular weight, they may be exploited to achieve a separation if SEC is being used for preparative isolation or to profile a sample. The same techniques used to suppress nonideal interactions (modulating salt levels, adding organic modifiers, and manipulating pH) can be used to enhance these interactions. 

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry has contributed remarkably to unravelling the termination and initiation steps of the styrene/CO copolymerisation catalysed by the highly active bis-chelated complex [Pd(bipy)2](Pp5)2 in TFE [40]. Chain-end group analysis of the material produced in the absence of BQ showed that the termination by P-H elimination is accompanied by three different initiators two palladium alkyls from Pd-H formed by reaction of the precursor with CO and water (a and b) and a palladium carboalkoxy species formed by reaction of the precursor with the fluorinated alcohol and CO (c) (Chart 7.4). The suppression of the chain-transfer by alcoholysis was proposed to be responsible for the enhanced stability of the palladium acyl intermediates and hence for the high molecular weight of the copolymers produced. 

Formations with enhanced resistance to craze formation have been described. Increasing the molecular weight has little influence on suppressing varnish-induced crazing in PAI Aims. However, craze resistance is associated with curing and crosslinking. The ratio of imide to amide and the surface tension of the film coatings influence the tendency to craze formation. 

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