Weight Distribution in Equilibrated living Polymer Systems

Molecular Weight Distribution in Equilibrated Living Polymer Systems 

Living polymers resulting from an instantaneously initiated but non-terminated polymerization, have a nearly Poisson molecular weight distribution, provided that Mo Me. The polymerization seems to cease as the concentration of the residual monomer attains its equilibrium value - no further conversion of the monomer into polymer could be detected at that stage of the reaction. Nevertheless, the system is not yet in its ultimate equilibrium state. 

The kinetics of such a distribution change were discussed by Brown and SzwarcI95) and rigorously treated by Miyake and Stockmayerl96). The approximate treatment of Brown and Szwarc gives 

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II.4. Molecular Weight Distribution in Equilibrated Living Polymer Systems... 

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