Calculation of molecular parameters for stepwise polyfunctional polymerization

Abstract

AbstractOur recursive method is extended to calculate several new parameters for stepwise polyfunctional polymerization. In the pregel region we calculate weight average molecular weight, Mw, for polydisperse reactants and effective average functionality, fe, of a reacting mixture. These quantities are useful for systems employing reactive oligomers. We also calculate weight average number of branches per molecule, Bw, and the weight average of a longest chain. These should be useful for viscosity relations. In the postgel region we give relations for the extent of reaction in the soluble fraction. This result can be used to calculate sol properties directly from existing pregel relations. We also calculate the weight fraction of pendant chains on the gel, wp, and the average molecular weight of the elastically effective network chains, Mc,w.