Thermal Initiation by Diels-Alder Dimerization

In a similar fashion, the graft propagation and matrix termination reactions can be written as 

The concentration of the radical chains Sn can be derived from the quasi-steady state assumption of radicals and is written as 

The rate of propagation of the thermal polymerization can then be written as 

a third-order dependence on the monomer concentration is expected. The number averaged molecular weight can be given by the ratio of the propagation reaction to the termination reaction and is 

The number average molecular weight by thermal polymerization is inversely proportional to the monomer concentration. 

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