Practical Utility of Mayo Equation

The use of the Mayo equation (Eq. 3-108 in its various forms) allows one to quantitiatively determine the effects of normal termination and transfer to monomer, initiator, and solvent on the molecular weight of the product and then adjust the reaction parameters to obtain the desired molecular weight. Two cases are encountered. 

Case 1 involves a reaction system that yields a molecular weight lower than needed. One analyzes the different terms on the right side of the Mayo equation to determine which one(s) is (are) responsible for the low molecular weight and the reaction parameters are then adjusted accordingly to increase the molecular weight. The initiation rate would be lowered if the low molecular weight is due to an excessively high initiation rate. If the initiator or 

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