Non-linear step-growth polymerization

Molecular weight development in non-linear step-growth polymerization... 

Linear novolac resins prepared by reacting para-alkylphenols with paraformaldehyde are of interest for adhesive tackifiers. As expected for step-growth polymerization, the molecular weights and viscosities of such oligomers prepared in one exemplary study increased as the ratio of formaldehyde to para-nonylphenol was increased from 0.32 to 1.00.21 As is usually the case, however, these reactions were not carried out to full conversion, and the measured Mn of an oligomer prepared with an equimolar phenol-to-formaldehyde ratio was 1400 g/mol. Plots of apparent shear viscosity versus shear rate of these p-nonylphenol novolac resins showed non-Newtonian rheological behavior. 

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