Monodisperse molecular weight Monomers

This dimensionless number measures the breadth of the molecular weight distribution. It is 1 for a monodisperse population (e.g., for monomers before reaction) and is 2 for several common polymerization mechanisms. 

Propylene oxide is a surface active monomer structurally similar to ethylene oxide and therefore of interest as a SHM W-SP, but with more than ten repeating units this polymer is not water soluble. A compositional isomer methyl vinyl ether is water soluble the adsorption behavior of this polymer (PMVE) is illustrated in Figure 4. At 1 ppm the rate of 7T increase is linear over three hours. The diffusion rate could be calculated if the W-SP s molecular weight were monodispersed. The polymer studied had a Gaussian molecular weight distribution, which is true of essentially all W-SPs even after attempts have been made to... 

The mechanism of the polymerization of this monomer has been studied in far greater detail than any other. It is clear from the outset that a much more complex mechanism is involved than is the case for olefins. A large proportion of the initiator is used to form polymer whose molecular weight is only a few hundreds and the overall molecular weight distribution is so broad as to be rivalled only by those found in polyethylene produced by the high pressure process (19, 39). The initiator disappears almost instantaneously on mixing the reactants (19, 38). Under these conditions, an almost monodisperse polymer would be expected if chain transfer or termination processes are absent. 

Several methodologies for preparation of monodisperse polymer particles are known [1]. Among them, dispersion polymerization in polar media has often been used because of the versatility and simplicity of the process. So far, the dispersion polymerizations and copolymerizations of hydrophobic classical monomers such as styrene (St), methyl methacrylate (MMA), etc., have been extensively investigated, in which the kinetic, molecular weight and colloidal parameters could be controlled by reaction conditions [6]. The preparation of monodisperse polymer particles in the range 1-20 pm is particularly challenging because it is just between the limits of particle size of conventional emulsion polymerization (100-700 nm) and suspension polymerization (20-1000 pm). 

Ideally, the conversion between the monomers (subunits) and the polymer in response to stimuli should be fast, the polymers should be monodisperse, and their molecular weight should be as high as possible. 

The molecular weight of cytochrome c peroxidase has been determined to be 34,100 on the basis of a sedimentation constant of 3.55 S, a diffusion constant of 9.44 F, and a partial specific volume of 0.733 ml/g (4 )-The enzyme exists as a monodisperse monomer containing one ferric protoporphyrin IX, which is noncovalently bound (/, , 14). No other transition metal is detected in crystalline preparations of the enzyme (22). The apoenzyme moiety is an acidic protein with an isoelectric point at pH... 

The polymerization of styrene in Winsor I-like systems by semi-continuous feeding of monomer stabilized by either DTAB, TTAB or CTAB has been systematically investigated by Gan and coworkers [69a]. Rather monodisperse polystyrene microlatexes of less than 50 nm with molecular weights of over one million were obtained at a polymer/surfactant weight ratio of 14 1. The Winsor I-like (micro)emulsion polymerization of styrene stabilized by non-ionic surfactant and initiated by oil-soluble initiators has also been reported very recently [69b]. The sizes of the large monomer-swollen particles decreased with conversion and they merged with growing particles at about 40-50% conversion. 

NMRP is not a true living polymerization but it has some attributes of a living polymerization, e.g. rather narrow polydispersity polymers can be produced, polymer molecular weight increases linearly with monomer conversion, and sequential addition of monomers leads to block copolymers. However, no one has yet produced truly monodisperse polymer using NMRP. Therefore, there are likely side reactions going on during chain growth that lead to adventitious termination. 

Whenever the initiation of polymerization is fast and termination is eliminated, monodispersed polymers may be formed by slow addition of monomer to a well-stirred solution of low molecular weight living polymers. This technique, suggested by the author, was developed by McCormick and Brewer (12), By water and Worsfold (17), Wenger (27), and others. Polymers of the narrowest molecular weight distribution were actually produced by this method. 

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