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Branching by copolymerization of monovinyl and divinyl monomers in continuous‐flow stirred reactors
Author(s) -
Strate G. Ver,
Cozewith C.,
Graessley W. W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1980.070250106
Subject(s) - branching (polymer chemistry) , copolymer , monomer , polymer , molar mass distribution , polymerization , polymer chemistry , degree of polymerization , thermodynamics , materials science , steady state (chemistry) , batch reactor , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , composite material , catalysis
The effect on molecular weight distribution of copolymerization with divinyl monomers, which leads to branch points in an otherwise linear polymer, is calculated for a continuous‐flow stirred reactor. It is found that steady state operation of the reactor becomes impossible at a degree of branching equal to only half that which causes gellation in a batch reactor. In steady state operation the ratio of weight to number average degree of polymerization cannot exceed 7, this ratio being 2 in the absence of branching. The classical result that the fraction of mers coupled at the gel point is 1/(D̄P w ) o , where (D̄P w ) o is the weight‐average degree of polymerization without branching, does not apply in a CFSR at any steady state conversion. Such deviations appear in batch reactions only when gelation occurs at high conversions.