Principles of Polymer Design PDF

Lecture Notes In Chemistry 82
Wei-Fang Su
Principles of
Polymer Design
and Synthesis
Lecture Notes in Chemistry
Volume 82
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Wei-Fang Su
Principles of Polymer
Design and Synthesis
123
Wei-Fang Su
Department of Materials Science
National Taiwan University
Taipei
Taiwan, R.O.C.
ISSN 0342-4901 ISSN 2192-6603 (electronic)

ISBN 978-3-642-38729-6 ISBN 978-3-642-38730-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-38730-2
Springer Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
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Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

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Foreword
While the ubiquity of polymers might imply that this field forms a significant
portion of undergraduate and graduate courses, students typically leave their
studies with only rudimentary knowledge of this important subject. This is perhaps
particularly surprising given that many of these new graduates will enter careers in
the consumer goods, pharmaceutical, materials, electronics, or other industries
where polymers hold the key to the performance of the final product. With this in
mind, it is critical that we better prepare our students for their ultimate careers. For
this reason, Principles of Polymer Design and Synthesis is a welcome addition to
the toolkit for young scientists and engineers, providing a solid base for learning
about the incredible influence of polymers to modern life. The logical format of the
book and its combination of breadth and depth will also allow it to serve as a very
useful text for established professionals who are entering the broad field of
polymer chemistry or researchers who want to freshen up their knowledge with
some of the latest directions in polymer design and synthesis.
The book introduces polymers to chemists, material scientists, and engineers with
no prior experience of the area in a straightforward, rigorous, and logical manner.
Intended for students who have completed undergraduate courses in organic and
physical chemistry, the chapters cover the properties, synthesis, and characterization
of polymeric materials. Readers will gain an appreciation for the diversity of poly-
mers with examples ranging from natural proteins, rubber, and cellulose to the huge
variety of synthetic materials that are used to produce fibers, plastics, and elastomers.
The aim is to equip scientists and engineers with a deeper understanding of how
the structure of polymers dictates their function and potential applications—
whether that may be in cheap polyethylene bags or sophisticated light emitting
materials for flexible displays. Not only will readers learn how to synthesize
common polymers, they will also gather greater knowledge of the principles for
designing materials and an appreciation for the state of the art. The value in
Principles of Polymer Design and Synthesis is in giving students and researchers a
flavor of the breadth of polymer science and inspiring them to delve deeper into
the field and develop materials for the next great advances to impact our lives.
Craig J. Hawker
v
Preface
Synthetic polymers are vital materials used in modern daily life from packaging,
electronics, medical devices, clothing, vehicles, buildings, etc. How can a scientist
or engineer synthesize and utilize polymers to solve the problems of daily life?
This is the objective of this textbook to provide students with fundamental
knowledge in the design and synthesis of polymers to achieve specific properties
required in the applications. To have the ability to design a polymer, one has to
understand the chemical structure effects on the physical and chemical charac-
teristics of polymer first. Therefore, in this book, the first five chapters discuss the
properties and characterization of polymers. Then, six chapters are followed to
discuss the principles of polymerization reactions including step, radical chain,
ionic chain, chain copolymerization, coordination, and ring opening. They cover
the descriptions of how commonly known polymers are synthesized.
This book is intended as an introductory textbook for one semester course in
polymer chemistry or polymer synthesis at the advanced undergraduate or
beginning graduate level of students in chemistry, chemical engineering, and
material science and engineering with no prior training in polymer. The students
who uses this book should have completed undergraduate courses in organic
chemistry and physical chemistry. After going through the lectures or reading the
text of this book, they will have the capability to synthesize common known
polymers and comprehend the advanced polymerization reactions reported in the
literature to further design and synthesize new polymers.
Finally, I would like to thank the encouragement and patience obtained from
my husband Cheng-Hong Su during the course of this work and the inspiration,
chemical formula drawing, and proof reading from my students Chun-Chih Ho,
Shih-Hsiang Lin, Tzu-Chia Huang, Shang-jung Wu, Shih-Chieh Wang, Jhin-Fong
Lin, and Hsueh-Chung Liao. Thanks are also due to typing and organization of the
manuscript done by Shiow-Wei Wang and drawing of figures done by Yin-Hsi Lin.
vii
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Types of Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Types of Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Nomenclature of Polymers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Polymer Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Polymer Size and Polymer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.1 The Molecular Weight of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Polymer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 Measurement of Molecular Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.4 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3 Structure Morphology Flow of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3.1 Chemical and Molecular Structure of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.2 Crystal Structure of Homopolymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.3 Crystal Structure of Copolymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.4 Liquid Crystalline Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3.5 Crosslinked Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.6 Polymer Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.7 Polymer Flow Under Shear Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.8 Polymer Flow Under Thermal Stress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.9 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4 Chemical and Physical Properties of Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

4.1 Chemical Property of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.2 Mechanical Property of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.3 Thermal Property of Polymer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.4 Electrical Property of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
ix
x Contents
4.5 Optical Property of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

4.6 Processability of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
4.7 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5 Characterization of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 89

5.1 Instruments and Testing Methods for Polymer
Characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
5.2 Characterization of Chemical Structures of Polymers . . . . . . . 90
5.2.1 Chemical Reaction Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5.2.2 Infrared Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5.2.3 Raman Spectroscopy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
5.2.4 UV-Visible Spectroscopy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
5.2.5 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . 95
5.2.6 Electron Spin Resonance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
5.3 Characterization of Morphology and Physical Structure
of Polymer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.3.1 Transmission Electron Microscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.3.2 X-Ray Scattering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
5.3.3 Atomic Force Microscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
5.4 Characterization of Thermal Properties of Polymers . . . . . . . . 104
5.4.1 Differential Thermal Analysis and Differential
Scanning Calorimetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
5.4.2 Thermomechanical Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
5.4.3 Thermogravimetric Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
5.4.4 Flammability Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
5.5 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
6 Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 111

6.1 Chemical Reactions and Reaction Mechanisms
of Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 111
6.1.1 Carbonyl Addition: Elimination
Reaction Mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 113
6.1.2 Carbonyl Addition: Substitution
Reaction Mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
6.1.3 Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction Mechanism . . . . . 116
6.1.4 Double-Bond Addition Reaction Mechanism . . . . . . . 116
6.1.5 Free-Radical Coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
6.1.6 Aromatic Electrophilic-Substitution
Reaction Mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
6.2 Reaction Kinetics of Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
6.3 Molecular Weight Control in Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . 119
6.4 Molecular Weight Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
6.5 Network Formation from Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Contents xi
6.6 Step Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

6.7 Techniques of Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
6.8 Synthesis of Dendritic Polymers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
6.8.1 Divergent Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
6.8.2 Convergent System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6.8.3 Molecular Weight of Dendrimer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
6.9 Hyperbranched Copolymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
6.10 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
7 Radical Chain Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 137

7.1 Effect of Chemical Structure of Monomer
on the Structural Arrangement of Polymer. . . . . . . . . . ..... 138
7.2 Initiators of Radical Chain Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . ..... 142
7.2.1 Thermal Initiators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 142
7.2.2 Decomposition Temperature and Half-Life
of Thermal Initiators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
7.2.3 Initiation Promoters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
7.2.4 Redox Initiators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
7.2.5 Photoinitiators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
7.2.6 Electrochemical Initiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
7.3 Techniques of Free Radical Chain Polymerization . . . . . . . . . 150
7.3.1 Bulk Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
7.3.2 Suspension Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
7.3.3 Solution Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
7.3.4 Emulsion Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
7.4 Reaction Mechanism of Free Radical Chain
Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
7.5 Kinetics of Free Radical Chain Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . 155
7.5.1 Rate of Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
7.5.2 Average Kinetic Chain Length m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
7.5.3 Chain Transfer Reactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
7.6 Living Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
7.6.1 Living Radical Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
7.6.2 Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . 163
7.6.3 Nitroxide-Mediated Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
7.6.4 Radical Addition-Fragmentation Transfer . . . . . . . . . 164
7.7 Polymerization of Dienes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
7.8 Temperature Effect of the Free Radical Polymerization. . . . . . 168
7.8.1 Activation Energy and Frequency Factor . . . . . . . . . . 169
7.8.2 Rate of Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
7.8.3 Degree of Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
xii Contents
7.9 Thermodynamics of Free Radical Polymerization . . . . ...... 172

7.9.1 Monomer Reactivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 173
7.9.2 Ceiling Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 175
7.9.3 Characteristics of DS Values of Free Radical
Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
7.10 Molecular Weight Distribution at Low Conversion . . . . . . . . . 176
7.11 Synthesis of Commercial Polymers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
7.11.1 Polyethylene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
7.11.2 Polystyrene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
7.11.3 Polyvinyl Chloride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
7.11.4 Polyvinyl Acetate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
7.11.5 Polyvinylidene Chloride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
7.11.6 Acryl Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
7.11.7 Fluoropolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
7.11.8 Cost of Common Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
7.12 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
8 Ionic Chain Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

8.1 Characteristics of Ionic Chain Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
8.2 Cationic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
8.2.1 Initiators of Cationic Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
8.2.2 Reaction Mechanisms of Cationic Polymerization . . . 190
8.2.3 Kinetics of Cationic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
8.2.4 Commercial Cationic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
8.3 Anionic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
8.3.1 Reaction Mechanisms of Anionic Polymerization . . . . 201
8.3.2 Kinetics of Anionic Polymerization
with Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
8.4 Group Transfer Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
8.5 Chain Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
8.5.1 Anionic Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer . . . . . 213
8.5.2 Cationic Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer . . . . . 215
8.5.3 Radical Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer . . . . . . 215
8.5.4 End-Capping Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
8.6 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
9 Coordination Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

9.1 Heterogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
9.1.1 Catalysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
9.1.2 Reaction Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
9.2 Homogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
9.3 Ziegler–Natta Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Contents xiii
9.4 Metathesis Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

9.5 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
10 Chain Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 233

10.1 Reaction Kinetics of Free Radical Copolymerization ....... 234
10.1.1 Types of Copolymerization Behavior . . . . . ....... 237
10.1.2 Effect of Reaction Conditions on Radical
Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 241
10.1.3 Reactivity and Composition
of Free Radical Copolymerization . . . . . . . ....... 243
10.1.4 Rate of Polymerization of Free Radical
Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
10.2 Cationic Copolymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
10.3 Anionic Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
10.4 Copolymerization Involving Dienes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
10.5 Block Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
10.6 Commercial Copolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
10.7 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
11 Ring-Opening Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

11.1 Reactivity of Cyclic Monomers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
11.2 General Aspects of Mechanisms and Kinetics . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
11.3 Cyclic Ethers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
11.3.1 Anionic Polymerization of Epoxides . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
11.3.2 Cationic Polymerization of Epoxides . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
11.3.3 Polymerization of Cyclic Acetals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
11.3.4 Kinetic Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
11.3.5 Thermodynamic Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
11.3.6 Commercial Applications of Polymers
of Cyclic Ether. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
11.4 Lactams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
11.4.1 Cationic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
11.4.2 Hydrolytic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
11.4.3 Anionic Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
11.4.4 Reactivity of Lactam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
11.5 Cyclosiloxanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
11.6 Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
11.7 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Chapter 1
Introduction
Synthetic polymers [1] are vital materials used in modern daily life from pack-
aging, electronics, medical devices, clothing, vehicles, buildings, etc., due to their
ease of processing and light weight. The first synthetic polymer, a phenol-form-
aldehyde resin, was invented in the early 1900s by Leo Baekeland [2]. It was a
commercial success invention although most of scientists had no clear concept of
polymer structure at that time. Wallace Carothers invented very important poly-
mers of neoprene rubber and Nylon in 1930s which shaped the leadership of
DuPont in polymer industry. Hermann Staudinger developed theoretical expla-
nations of remarkable properties of polymers by ordinary intermolecular forces
between molecules of very high molecular weight. He was awarded the Nobel
Prize in Chemistry in 1953 for this outstanding contribution. World War II led to
significant advances in polymer chemistry with the development of synthetic
rubber as natural rubber was not accessible to the Allies. Karl Ziegler and Giulio
Natta won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963, jointly for the development of
coordination polymerization to have controlled stereochemistry of polymers using
coordination catalysts. Their work has revolutionized the polymer industry to
synthesize stereoregular polymers that have mechanical properties superior than
that of non-stereoregular polymers. Equally significant work was done by Paul
Flory 1974, Nobel laureate on the quantitative investigations of polymer behaviors
in solution or in bulk.
Most of polymers are insulators, so they have passive functions and used as a
bulk material for structure or as thin layer for coating barrier. In 1977, Alan
Heeger, Alan MacDiarmid, and Hideki Shirakawa reported high conductivity in
iodine-doped polyacetylene. This research earned them the 2000 Nobel Prize in
Chemistry. Since then, the application of polymer has expanded into active
functional area such as light emitting diode, sensor, solar cell, etc. Polymers can be
tailor made to meet the requirements of specific application through molecular
design and synthesis. Therefore, they have become the material of choice to face
the ever fast changing world from electronics to medical applications.
The physical properties of polymers are mainly determined by their chemical
structures. Chemical structures of polymers affect their flow and morphology that
results in different physical properties. The processability of polymers is controlled
W.-F. Su, Principles of Polymer Design and Synthesis, 1

Lecture Notes in Chemistry 82, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-38730-2_1,
Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
2 1 Introduction
Fig. 1.1 Chemical structures

of (a) monomers and (b) their
corresponding polymers
by their flow characteristics in neat form or in solution which affects by their

molecular weight.
Polymers are built up by linking together of large number of ‘‘monomers.’’
Monomers are small molecules with functional groups (organic compounds) and
they can react with each other to form a large molecule. Figure 1.1 shows some
commonly used polymers with their chemical structures of monomers and their
corresponding polymers. The polymers have to have molecular weight larger than
10,000 to exhibit good mechanical properties for structural use. Oligomer is a
molecule that has molecular weight between 1,000 and 10,000. The oligomer has
been widely used in coating applications. End group is the chemical structure at
the end of the polymer chains. When the polymer is ended with a functional group,
such as CH3CH2–[CH2CH2]n–CH=CH2, the polymer is called telechelic polymer.
In the same way, reactive oligomer is oligomer that contains end groups and
capable to undergo polymerization.
The size of polymer is determined by the degree of polymerization (DP). It is a
total number of structural units, including end groups, and is related to both chain
length and molecular weight. For example, the molecular weight of polymethac-
rylate with DP = 500 is 500 multiplying by 74 (weight of unit) = 37,000.
Because polymer chains within a given polymer sample are always of varying
lengths, we need to use average value, such as number-average molecular weight
ðM n Þ, weight-average molecular weight ðM w Þ, etc. The molecular weight distri-

bution (PDI) is defined as dividing Mw over M n.
1.1 Types of Polymers 3
Fig. 1.2 Possible

arrangements of repeating
units to form different type
polymers
1.1 Types of Polymers
There are many different types of polymers that can be differentiated from the
arrangement of repeating units, and the different arrangements of molecular seg-
ment [3]. A polymer prepared from one kind of monomer is called homopolymer.
A polymer prepared from more than one kind of monomer is called copolymer,
including random copolymer, alternating copolymer, block copolymer, and graft
copolymer (Fig. 1.2). These homopolymer and copolymers also can be prepared
into polymers with different arrangement of molecular segment, such as star
polymer, comb polymer, ladder polymer, dendrimer, and so on. (Fig. 1.3).
1.2 Types of Polymerization
The types of polymerizations are generally classified into chain polymerization

and step polymerization according to chemical reactions in the polymerization [4].
The molecular weight of polymers can be built either gradually by step reactions
or simultaneously by chain reaction depending on the chemical structure of the
monomer. For the step polymerization, the monomers need to have bifunctional
groups to link 1 molecule at one time. If the bifunctional groups are the same such
as ethylene glycol (OH–CH2CH2–OH), one will need different type of bifunctional
monomer such as terephthalic acid (COOH–C6H4–COOH) to synthesize polyester
[–CH2–CH2–O–C(=O)C6H4C(=O)O–]n at relative high temperature to remove
water. This type of polymerization is also called polycondensation polymerization
due to the loss of molecule during the polymerization.
The monomers containing double bond can be polymerized by chain reaction.
The polymerization proceeds by three steps of initiation, propagation, and termi-
nation. Depending on the type of initiation, the chain polymerization can be
classified into free radical chain polymerization, ionic chain polymerization, and
4 1 Introduction
Fig. 1.3 Possible arrangements of molecular segment to form different type polymers: (a) linear
polymer, (b) branched polymer, (c) crosslinked polymer, (d) star polymer, (e) comb polymer,
(f) ladder polymer, (g) polyrotaxane, (h) polycatenane, (i) dendrimer
coordinating chain polymerization. Their principles will be addressed in the

subsequent chapters. Copolymers are made from more than one kind of monomer
to meet balanced properties required in many different applications. The differ-
ences in the reactivity of different monomer and growing polymer chain need to be
considered in the synthesis of copolymer. We will also discuss this subject in the
later chapter.
Ring opening polymerization has been extensively used in synthesis of poly-
ether, polyamide, polysiloxane, and the curing of the epoxy resin. The reaction
mechanism of ring opening polymerization is unique in its own way which shows
a combination behavior of step polymerization and chain polymerization. The
detailed reaction mechanism will be present in the last chapter of this book.
1.3 Nomenclature of Polymers
The nomenclature of polymers [1, 3] is usually based on the source of monomer,

for example, poly(vinyl chloride) –(CH2CHCl)n– is made from vinyl chloride
monomer, and poly(e-caprolacton) –[NH–CO–(CH2)5]n–, that is the same as poly
(6-aminocaproic acid), is made from e-caprolacton. Many polymers commonly are
named basis on their structures such as poly (hexamethylene sebacamide) –[HN–
(CH2)6–NHCO–(CH2)8–CO]n–, poly(ethylene terephthalate) –[O–CH2CH2–O–
CO–C6H5–CO]n–, and poly(trimethylene ethylene urethane) –[O–CH2CH2CH2–
O–CO–NH–CH2–CH2–NH–CO]n–.
1.3 Nomenclature of Polymers 5
Table 1.1 Comparison between common name and IUPAC name of polymers
Structure Common name IUPAC name
–(CH2–CH2)– polyethylene poly(methylene)
–(CH(CH3)–CH2)– polypropylene poly(propylene)
–(CH(C6H5)–CH2)– polystyrene poly(1-phenyl ethylene)
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) polymer

nomenclature system is a more systematic approach. The basis of the IUPAC
polymer nomenclature system is the selection of a preferred CRU (constitutional
repeating unit), i.e., structural repeating unit, as tabulated in Table 1.1. The name
is made according to the seniority among the atoms or subunits making up the
CRU. The steps including (1) CRU is identified, (2) substituent groups on the
backbone are assigned the lowest possible number, and (3) the name is placed in
parentheses and prefixed with poly.
For the copolymers, they are named according to the arrangements of the
repeating units in copolymers. For example, for a copolymer that consists of
polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate), this copolymer can be abbreviated as
either poly[styrene-co-(methyl methacrylate)] or copoly(styrene/methyl methac-
rylate). For an alternating copolymer, an abbreviation of alt can be placed between
these two homopolymers, as poly[styrene-alt-(methyl methacrylate)]. Therefore,
the alt is replaced by block and graft that can represent the block copolymer
[polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)] and graft copolymer [polystyrene-
graft-poly(methyl methacrylate)], respectively.
The source-based nomenclature system is still one of choices in the polymer
community, although the important reference sources such as Chemical Abstracts
and Polymer Handbook have adopted the IUPAC system. Polymers used in
business for long time usually have their own trade name, due to sometimes a
polymer named by IUPAC name is not read easily and too long to use
CH3 O
C O C O
CH3
n
Polycarbonate
CH 3 OH CH 3 O
O
H 2C CH CH 2O C OCH2 CHCH 2O C OCH2 CH CH 2
CH 3 CH 3
n
Epoxy Resin
Fig. 1.4 Chemical structures of polycarbonate and epoxy resin

6 1 Introduction
Table 1.2 Representative polymers used in modern society

Common name Abbreviation Chemical structure
Polyethylene PE CH 2CH2
n
Polypropylene PP
CH2CH
CH 3 n
Poly(vinyl chloride) PVC
CH2 CH
Cl n
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET O O
CH 2 CH 2 O C C O
n
Polystyrene PS
CH2CH
n
Phenol–formaldehyde none OH
CH2
n
Polyisoprene PI H2C CH2
C C
H3C H
n
Polyacrylonitrile PAN
CH2 CH
CN n
Poly(vinyl acetate) PVA CH2 CH
O C CH 3
O n
Poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA CH3
CH2 C
C O CH 3
O n
Polycaprolactam Nylon 6 O
NH(CH2 )5 C
n
Polycarbonate PC
O CH 3
O C O C
CH 3 n
Poly(3-hexyl thiophene) P3HT C6 H 13
S
n
1.3 Nomenclature of Polymers 7
Table 1.3 Recycling codes of plastics [3]

Number Letters Plastic
1 PET Poly(ethylene terephthalate)
2 HDPE High density polyethylene
3 V or PVC Poly(vinyl chloride)
4 LDPE Low density polyethylene
5 PP Polypropylene
6 PS Polystyrene
7 OTHER Others or mixed plastics
conveniently. For example, IUPAC name for polycarbonate is poly(oxy carbonyl

oxy -1,4-phenylene-isopropylidene -1,4-phenylene) and the repeating unit is –[O–
CO–O–C6H4–C(CH3)2–C6H4]n–. Bisphenol A epoxy resin has an IUPAC name of
4,40 -dimethoxy oxirane -2,2-diphenyl propane. Figure 1.4 shows the chemical
structures of polycarbonate and bisphenol A epoxy resin.
Table 1.2 organizes some representative polymers in modern society with their
common name, abbreviation, and chemical structure according to the amount of
usage. Their synthesis and properties will be discussed throughout this text book.
The abbreviated name of polymer has been adapted for subsequent chapter for
simplicity.
1.4 Polymer Recycling
Polymer recycling [3] is an important matter being carried out worldwide to

reduce pollution and conserve material. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and
high density polyethylene (HDPE) share more than 70 % of the demand for
recycled plastics. The recycling industry sometime encounters economic diffi-
culties because most ‘‘virgin’’ plastics are not only of better quality than their
recycled counterparts, but are often less expensive. In Taiwan, the majority of used
plastics are burned as fuel or pyrolyzed to make fuel. The Society of the Plastics
Industry (SPI) of USA has adopted plastic recycling codes to be used interna-
tionally as shown in Table 1.3, so the recycled polymers can be sorted according to
their code before they are used as raw materials for specific applications.
1.5 Problems
1. Write a concise definition of each term listed below, using examples as

appropriate, (a) polymer, (b) monomer, (c) functional group, (d) oligomer, (e)
telechelic polymer, (f) degree of polymerization, (g) molecular weight distri-
bution, (o) copolymer, (p) chain polymerization, (q) step polymerization.
8 1 Introduction
2. Write the name and structure of the monomers that are required to synthesize
the following polymers. Please write the IUPAC name of each polymer.
3. Please discuss the importance of plastic recycling.
References
1. J. Brandrup, E.H. Immergut, E.A. Grulke, A. Abe, D.R. Bloch, Polymer Handbook, 4th edn.
(Wiley, New York, 2005)
2. R.W. Lenz, Organic Chemistry of Synthetic High Polymers. (Wiley-Interscience, New York,
1967)
3. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford University, Oxford, 1999)
4. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 4th edn. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 2004)
Chapter 2
Polymer Size and Polymer Solutions
The size of single polymer chain is dependent on its molecular weight and mor-
phology. The morphology of a single polymer chain is determined by its chemical
structure and its environment. The polymer chain can be fully extended in a very
dilute solution when a good solvent is used to dissolve the polymer. However, the
single polymer chain is usually in coil form in solution due to the balanced
interactions with solvent and polymer itself. We will discuss the size of polymer
first, and then go to the coil formation in the polymer solution.
2.1 The Molecular Weight of Polymer
The molecular weight of polymer determines the mechanical properties of poly-

mers. To have strong durable mechanical properties, the polymer has to have
molecular weight much larger than 10,000 for structural applications. However,
for thin film or other special application, low molecular weight polymer or oli-
gomer sometime is adequate. As shown in Fig. 2.1, above (A), strength increases
rapidly with molecular weight until a critical point (B) is reached. Mechanical
strength increases more slowly above (B) and eventually reaches a limiting value
(C). High molecular weight polymer has high viscosity and poor processability.
The control of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution (MWD) is
often used to obtain and improve certain desired physical properties in a polymer
product.
Polymers, in their purest form, are mixtures of molecules of different molecular
weights. The reason for the polydispersity of polymers lies in the statistical variations
present in the polymerization processes. The above statement is true for common
polymerization reaction such as free radical chain polymerization, step polymeri-
zation, etc. However, cationic or anionic chain polymerization as so called living
polymerization has small MWD. Low dispersity can also be obtained from emulsion
polymerization, and new polymerization techniques such as living free radical
polymerization including nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), atom transfer
radical polymerization (ATRP), and reversible addition–fragmentation chain

10 2 Polymer Size and Polymer Solutions
Fig. 2.1 Dependence of

mechanical strength on
polymer molecular weight [1]
transfer polymerization (RAFT). The chemistry of different polymerization reac-

tions will be discussed in detail in the subsequent chapters.
Number-average molecular weight ðM n Þ is total weight (W) of all the molecules
in a polymer sample divided by the total number of molecule present, as shown in
Eq. 2.1, where Nx is the number of molecules of size Mx , N x is number (mole)
fraction of size Mx
n ¼ W=RNx ¼ R Nx Mx =RNx ¼ R N x Mx
M ð2:1Þ
Analytical methods used to determine M n \ 25,000 by vapor
n include (1) M

pressure osmometry, (2) M n 50,000–2 million by membrane osmometry, and (3)
n \ 50,000 by end group analysis, such as NMR for –C=C; titration for car-
M
boxylic acid ending group of polyester. They measure the colligative properties of
polymer solutions. The colligative properties are the same for small and large
molecules when comparing solutions at the same mole fraction concentration.
n is biased toward smaller sized molecules. The detailed mea-
Therefore, the M
surement methods of molecular weight will be discussed in Sect. 2.3. Weight-
average molecular weight is defined as Eq. 2.2, where Wx is the weight fraction of
Mx molecules, Cx is the weight concentration of Mx molecules, and C is the total
weight concentration of all of the polymer molecules, and defined by Eqs. 2.3–2.5.
w ¼ R Wx Mx ¼ R Cx Mx =RCx
M ð2:2Þ
Wx ¼ Cx =C ð2:3Þ
Cx ¼ Nx Mx ð2:4Þ
C ¼ R Cx ¼ R Nx Mx ð2:5Þ
Light scattering is an analytical method to determine the M w in the range of
10,000–10,000,000. It unlike colligative properties shows a greater number for
larger sized molecules than for small-sized molecules. Viscosity-average molec-
ular weight ðM v Þ is defined as Eq. 2.6, where a is a constant. The viscosity and
2.1 The Molecular Weight of Polymer 11
weight average molecular weights are equal when a is unity. M v is like M

w , it is
greater for the larger sized polymer molecules than for smaller ones.

v ¼ R Mxa Wx 1=a ¼ R Nx Mxaþ1 =RNx Mx 1=a
M ð2:6Þ
A measure of the polydispersity in a polymer is defined as M w divided over M n

ðM w =M
n Þ. For a polydispersed polymer, M w [M v[M n with the differences
between the various average molecular weights increasing as the molecular-weight
distribution (MWD) broadens, as shown in Fig. 2.2.
For example, consider a hypothetical mixture containing 95 % by weight of
molecules of molecular weight 10,000, and 5 % of molecules of molecular weight
100. The M n and M
w are calculated from Eqs. 2.1 and 2.2 as 1,680 and 9,505,
respectively. The use of the M n value of 1,680 gives an inaccurate indication of the
properties of this polymer. The properties of the polymer are determined primarily
by the molecules with a molecular weight of 10,000 that makes up 95 % of the
weight of the mixture. The highest % fraction of molecular weight of molecule
will contribute the most toward the bulk property. It is desirable to know the
molecular weight distribution, then to predict the polymer properties. At present,
the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) technique has been advanced to be able
to easily measure M n; M
v; M
w ; simultaneously and calculate PDI using only one
sample. All the measurements of molecular weight of polymers are carried out
using polymer solutions. Therefore, the accuracy of molecular weight measure-
ment is dependent on the behavior of polymer solution. Usually, a calibration
curve is established first using a specific polymer dissolving in a specific solvent.
Polystyrene standard dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) is the most popular cal-
ibration curve used in GPC. If the measured polymer exhibits different behavior in
THF from that of polystyrene, then a deviation from the actual molecular weight is
occurred. For example, a conducting polymer, poly (phenylene vinylene), con-
taining rigid rod molecular structure shows a higher molecular weight when the
standard of coil structured polystyrene is used. More detailed discussion of GPC is
in Sect. 2.3.
Fig. 2.2 Distribution of

molecular weights in a typical
polymer sample [1]
2.2 Polymer Solutions
Polymer solutions occur in two stages. Initially, the solvent molecules diffuse
through the polymer matrix to form a swollen, solvated mass called a gel. In the
second stage, the gel breaks up and the molecules are dispersed into a true solu-
tion. Not all polymers can form true solution in solvent.
Detailed studies of polymer solubility using thermodynamic principles have led
to semi-empirical relationships for predicting the solubility [2]. Any solution
process is governed by the free-energy relationship of Eq. 2.7:
DG ¼ DH TDS ð2:7Þ
When a polymer dissolves spontaneously, the free energy of solution, DG, is
negative. The entropy of solution, DS, has a positive value arising from increased
conformational mobility of the polymer chains. Therefore, the magnitude of the
enthalpy of solution, DH, determines the sign of DG. It has been proposed that the
heat of mixing, DHmix , for a binary system is related to concentration and energy
parameters by Eq. 2.8:
" #2
DE1 1=2 DE2 1=2
DHmix ¼ Vmix ;1 ;2 ð2:8Þ
V1 V2
where Vmix is the total volume of the mixture, V1 and V2 are molar volumes
(molecular weight/density) of the two components, ;1 and ;2 are their volume
fractions, and DE1 and DE2 are the energies of vaporization. The terms DE1 =V1
and DE2 =V2 are called the cohesive energy densities. If ðDE=VÞ1=2 is replaced by
the symbol d, the equation can be simplified into Eq. 2.9:
DHmix ¼ Vmix ðd1 d2 Þ2 ;1 ;2 ð2:9Þ

The interaction parameter between polymer and solvent can be estimated from
DHmix as:
V1
v12 ¼ ðd1 d2 Þ2 ð2:10Þ
RT
The symbol d is called the solubility parameter. Clearly, for the polymer to
dissolve (negative DG), DHmix must be small; therefore, ðd1 d2 Þ2 must also be
small. In other words, d1 and d2 should be of about equal magnitude where
d1 ¼ d2 , solubility is governed solely by entropy effects. Predictions of solubility
are therefore based on finding solvents and polymers with similar solubility
parameters, which requires a means of determining cohesive energy densities.
Cohesive energy density is the energy needed to remove a molecule from its
nearest neighbors, thus is analogous to the heat of vaporization per volume for a
2.2 Polymer Solutions 13
the solvent, d1 can be calculated directly from the latent

volatile compound. For
heat of vaporization DHvap using the relationship of Eq. 2.11:
DE ¼ DHvap RT ð2:11Þ
R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature in kelvins. Thus, the cohesive
energy of solvent is shown in Eq. 2.12:
1=2
DHvap RT
d1 ¼ ð2:12Þ
V
Since polymers have negligible vapor pressure, the most convenient method of
determining d2 is to use group molar attraction constants. These are constants
derived from studies of low-molecular-weight compounds that lead to numerical
values for various molecular groupings on the basis of intermolecular forces. Two
sets of values (designated G) have been suggested, one by Small [3], derived from
heats of vaporization and the other by Hoy [4], based on vapor pressure mea-
surements. Typical G values are given in Table 2.1. Clearly there are significant
differences between the Small and Hoy values. The use of which set is normally
determined by the method used to determine d1 for the solvent.
G values are additive for a given structure, and are related to d by
dRG
d¼ ð2:13Þ
M
where d is density and M is molecular weight. For polystyrene –[CH2–
CH(C6H5)]n–, for example, which has a density of 1.05, a repeating unit mass of
104, and d is calculated, using Small’s G values, as
Table 2.1 Representative group molar attraction constants [3, 4]

Chemical group G[(cal cm3)1/2mol-1]
Small Hoy
H 3C 214 147.3
CH 2 133 131.5
CH 28 86.0
-93 32.0
C
CH 2 190 126.0
CH 19 84.5
C 6 H 5 (phenyl) 735 –
CH (aromatic) – 117.1
275 262.7
C O (ketone)
CO 2 (ester) 310 326.6
1:05ð133 þ 28 þ 735Þ
d¼ ¼ 9:0
104
or using Hoy’s data,
1:05½131:5 þ 85:99 þ 6ð117:1Þ
d¼ ¼ 9:3
104
Both data give similar solubility parameter. However, there is limitation of
solubility parameter. They do not consider the strong dipolar forces such as
hydrogen bonding, dipole–dipole attraction, etc. Modifications have been done by
many researchers and available in literature [5, 6].
Once a polymer–solvent system has been selected, another consideration is how
the polymer molecules behave in that solvent. Particularly important from the
standpoint of molecular weight determinations is the resultant size, or hydrody-
namic volume, of the polymer molecules in solution. Assuming polymer molecules
of a given molecular weight are fully separated from one another by solvent, the
hydrodynamic volume will depend on a variety of factors, including interactions
between solvent and polymer molecules, chain branching, conformational effects
arising from the polarity, and steric bulkiness of the substituent groups, and
restricted rotation caused by resonance, for example, polyamide can exhibit res-
onance structure between neutral molecule and ionic molecule.
O O-
C NH C NH+
Because of Brownian motion, molecules are changing shape continuously.

Hence, the prediction of molecular size must base on statistical considerations and
average dimensions. If a molecule was fully extended, its size could easily be
computed from the knowledge of bond lengths and bond angles. Such is not the
case, however, with most common polymers; therefore, size is generally expressed
Fig. 2.3 Schematic

representation of a molecular
coil, r = end to end distance,
s = radius of gyration [2]
2.2 Polymer Solutions 15
in terms of the mean-square average distance between chain ends, r 2 , for a linear
polymer, or the square average radius of gyration about the center of gravity, s2 ,
for a branched polymer. Figure 2.3 illustrates the meaning of r and s from the
perspective of a coiled structure of an individual polymer molecule having its
center of gravity at the origin.
The average shape of the coiled molecule is spherical. The greater the affinity of
solvent for polymer, the larger will be the sphere, that is, the hydrodynamic
volume. As the solvent–polymer interaction decreases, intramolecular interactions
become more important, leading to a contraction of the hydrodynamic volume. It
is convenient to express r and s in terms of two factors: an unperturbed dimension
(r0 or s0 ) and an expansion factor ðaÞ. Thus,
r 2 ¼ r02 a2 ð2:14Þ
s2 ¼ s20 a2 ð2:15Þ

1=2
ðr 2 Þ
a ¼ 1=2 ð2:16Þ
r02
The unperturbed dimension refers to the size of the macromolecule exclusive of

solvent effects. It arises from a combination of free rotation and intramolecular
interactions such as steric and polar interactions. The expansion factor, on the
other hand, arises from interactions between solvent and polymer. For a linear
polymer, r 2 ¼ 6s2 . The a will be greater than unity in a ‘‘good’’ solvent, thus the
actual (perturbed) dimensions will exceed the unperturbed dimensions. The greater
the value of a is, the ‘‘better’’ the solvent is. For the special case where a ¼ 1, the
polymer assumes its unperturbed dimensions and behaves as an ‘‘ideal’’ statistical
coil.
Because solubility properties vary with temperature in a given solvent, a is
temperature dependent. For a given polymer in a given solvent, the lowest tem-
perature at which a ¼ 1 is called the theta ðhÞ temperature (or Flory temperature),
and the solvent is then called a theta solvent. Additionally, the polymer is said to
be in a theta state. In the theta state, the polymer is on the brink of becoming
insoluble; in other words, the solvent is having a minimal solvation effect on the
dissolved molecules. Any further diminish of this effect causes the attractive forces
among polymer molecules to predominate, and the polymer precipitates.
From the standpoint of molecular weight determinations, the significance of
solution viscosity is expressed according to the Flory-Fox equation [7],
3=2
Uðr 2 Þ
½ g ¼ ð2:17Þ
M
is the average molecular
where ½g is the intrinsic viscosity (to be defined later), M
weight, and U is a proportionality constant (called the Flory constant) equal to
approximately 3 9 1024. Substituting r0‘

2 2
a for r 2 , we obtain Mark-Houwink-
Sakurada equation:
3=2
U r02 a2
½g ¼ ð2:18Þ
M
Equation 2.18 can be rearranged to
3=2
1
½g ¼ U r02 M 1=2 a3
M ð2:19Þ
3=2
Since r0 and M 1
are constants, we can set K ¼ U r02 M , then
1=2 3
½g ¼ K M a ð2:20Þ
At the theta temperature, a ¼ 1 and
1=2
½ g ¼ K M ð2:21Þ
For conditions other than the theta temperature, the equation is expressed by
a
½g ¼ K M ð2:22Þ
Apart from molecular weight determinations, many important practical con-
siderations are arisen from solubility effects. For instance, one moves in the
direction of ‘‘good’’ solvent to ‘‘poor’’, and intramolecular forces become more
important, the polymer molecules shrink in volume. This increasing compactness
leads to reduced ‘‘drag’’ and hence a lower viscosity which has been used to
control the viscosity of polymer for ease of processing.
2.3 Measurement of Molecular Weight
Many techniques have been developed to determine the molecular weight of

polymer [8]. Which technique to use is dependent on many factors such as the size
of the polymer, the ease of access and operation of the equipment, the cost of the
analysis, and so on.
For polymer molecular weight is less than 50,000, its molecular weight can be
determined by the end group analysis. The methods for end group analysis include
titration, elemental analysis, radio active tagging, and spectroscopy. Infrared
spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and mass
spectroscopy (MS) are commonly used spectroscopic technique. The IR and NMR
are usually less sensitive than that of MS due to the detection limit.
Rules of end group analysis for M n are: (1) the method cannot be applied to
branched polymers unless the number of branches is known with certainty; thus it
is practically limited to linear polymers, (2) in a linear polymer there are twice as
2.3 Measurement of Molecular Weight 17
many end groups as polymer molecules, (3) if the polymer contains different
groups at each end of the chain and only one characteristic end group is being
measured, the number of this type is equal to the number of polymer molecules,
(4) measurement of molecular weight by end-group analysis is only meaningful
when the mechanisms of initiation and termination are well understood. To
determine the number average molecular weight of the linear polyester before
cross-linking, one can titrate the carboxyl and hydroxyl end groups by standard
acid–base titration methods. In the case of carboxyl, a weighed sample of polymer
is dissolved in an appropriate solvent such as acetone and titrated with standard
base to a phenolphthalein end point. For hydroxyl, a sample is acetylated with
excess acetic anhydride, and liberated acetic acid, together with carboxyl end
groups, is similarly titrated. From the two titrations, one obtains the number of
mini-equivalents of carboxyl and hydroxyl in the sample. The number average
molecular weight (i.e., the number of grams per mole) is then given by Eq. 2.23:
n ¼ 2 1000 sample wt:

M ð2:23Þ
meqCOOH þ meqOH
The 2 in the numerator takes into account that two end groups are being counted
per molecule. The acid number is defined as the number of milligrams of base
required to neutralize 1 g of polyester which is used to monitor the progress of
polyester synthesis in industry.
Of the various methods of number average molecular weight determination based
on colligative properties, membrane osmometry is most useful. When pure solvent is
Fig. 2.4 Schematic

representation of a membrane
osmometer [2]
separated from a solution by a semi-permeable membrane that allows passage of

solvent but not solute molecules, solvent will flow through the membrane into the
solution. As the liquid level rises in the solution compartment, the hydrostatic
pressure increases until it prevents further passage of solvent or, more exactly, until
solvent flow is equal in both directions. The pressure at equilibrium is the osmotic
pressure. A schematic representation of an osmometer is given in Fig. 2.4.
Osmotic pressure is related to molecular weight by the van’t Hoff equation
extrapolated to zero concentration:
p RT
¼ þ A2 C ð2:24Þ
C c¼0 M n
where p, the osmotic pressure, is given by

p ¼ qgDh ð2:25Þ
where R is the gas constant, 0.082 L atm mol-1K-1 (CGS) or 8.314 J mol-1K-1
(SI); T is the temperature in kelvins; C is the concentration in grams per liter; q is
the solvent density in grams per cubic centimeter, g is the acceleration due to
gravity, 9.81 m/s2; Dh is the difference in heights of solvent and solution in
centimeters; and A2 is the second virial coefficient (a measure of the interaction
between solvent and polymer). A plot of reduced osmotic pressure, p=C, versus
concentration (Fig. 2.5) is linear with the intercept equal to RT=M n and the slope
equal to A2 , units for p=C are dyn Lg-1cm-1 (CGS) or Jkg-1 (SI). Because A2 is a
measure of solvent–polymer interaction, the slope is zero at the theta temperature.
Thus osmotic pressure measurements may be used to determine theta conditions.
Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry
(MALDI-TOF MS) is developed recently to determine the absolute molecular
weight of large molecule. The polymer sample is imbedded in a low molecular
weight organic compound that absorbs strongly at the wavelength of a UV laser.
Upon UV radiation, organic compound absorbs energy, then energy transfer to
polymer to form ions. Finally, the ions are detected. At higher molecular weight,
the signal to noise
ratio is reduced. From the integrated peak areas, reflecting the
number of ions Nj and the average molecular weight ðMi Þ, both M n and M
w can

be calculated. Figure 2.6 shows that a low molecular weight ðM w 3;000Þ poly(3-
Fig. 2.5 Plot of reduced

osmotic pressure versus
concentration [2]
(a) 2949.110
3450.147
(b) 2949.1103116.526
3283.505
2616.048 2783.182
3616.721 3450.147
8000 2448.771 3782.791 8000 2616.048 3616.721
2281.781 2480.130
3949.088
4117.025
6000 2114.975 6000
Intens. [a.u.]
Intens. [a.u.]
1948.380
1781.261
4000 4000
1613.847
4614.864
1445.919 4781.324
2000 1367.571 4947.428 2000 3037.597 3373.805

2537.347 2703.324 2869.867 3205.285 3538.679 3704.432
5114.582
0 0
1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 00 2600 2800 3000 3200 3400 3600
m/z m/z
Fig. 2.6 MALDI mass spectrum of low molecular weight poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (a) whole
spectrum, (b) magnified area between m/z 2,400 and 3,800
hexyl thiophene) was measured by MALDI-TOF MS. The spectrum shows the
molecular weight distribution and the difference between every peak is equal to the
repeating unit 3-hexyl thiophene of 167.
The absolute weight average molecular weight ðM w Þ can also be measured by
light scattering method. The light passes through the solution, loses energy by
absorption, conversion to heat, and scattering. The intensity of scattered light
depends on concentration, size, polarizability of the scattering molecules. To
evaluate the turbidity arising from scattering, one combines equations derived
from scattering and index of refraction measurements. Turbidity, s, is related to
concentration, c, by the expression
w
s ¼ HcM ð2:26Þ
where H is
32p3 n20 ðdn=dcÞ2

H¼ ð2:27Þ
3 k4 N 0
and n0 is the refractive index of the solvent, k is the wavelength of the incident
light, and N0 is Avogadro’s number. The expression dn=dc, referred to as the
specific refractive increment, is obtained by measuring the slope of the refractive
index as a function of concentration, and it is constant for a given polymer,
solvent, and temperature. As molecular size approaches the magnitude of light
wavelength, corrections must be made for interference between scattered light
coming from different parts of the molecules. To determine molecular weight, the
expression for turbidity is rewritten as
Hc 1
¼ þ 2A2 C ð2:28Þ
s M w Pð h Þ
Fig. 2.7 Zimm plot of light-

scattering data of polymer [2]
where PðhÞ is a function of the angle, h, at which s is measured, a function that

depends on the shape of the molecules in solution. A2 is the second virial coeffi-
cient. Turbidity is then measured at different concentrations as well as at different
angles, the latter to compensate for variations in molecular shape. The experi-
mental data are then extrapolated to both zero concentration and zero angle, where
PðhÞ is equal to 1. Such double extrapolations, shown in Fig. 2.7, are called Zimm
plots. The factor k on the abscissa is an arbitrary constant. The intercept corre-
sponds to 1=M w.
A major problem in light scattering is to obtain perfectly clear, dust-free
solutions. This is usually accomplished by ultra centrifugation or careful filtration.
Despite such difficulties, the light-scattering method is widely used for obtaining
weight average molecular weights between 10,000 and 10,000,000. A schematic of
a laser light-scattering photometer is given in Fig. 2.8.
Intrinsic viscosity is the most useful of the various viscosity designations
because it can be related to molecular weight by the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada
equation:
av
½g ¼ K M ð2:29Þ
v , is the viscosity average molecular weight, defined as
where M
1=a
v ¼ R Ni Mi1þa
M ð2:30Þ
R Ni Mi
Log K and a are the intercept and slope, respectively, of a plot of log ½g versus
w or log M
log M n of a series of fractionated polymer samples. Such plots are linear
(except at low molecular weights) for linear polymers, thus

log½g ¼ log K þ alogM ð2:31Þ
Fig. 2.8 Schematic of a laser Partially transmitting mirror

light scattering photometer [2] Polarizer Fully reflecting mirror
Laser
Light-
scattering Thermostat
cell for
sample Analyzer
Photomultiplier
l0
Photomultiplier
Amplifier
Imbalance
Correlator
amplifier
Data
acquisition system
Fig. 2.9 A modified

Ubbelohde viscometer with
improved dilution
characteristics
Factors that may complicate the application of the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada

relationship are chain branching, too broad of molecular weight distribution in the
samples used to determine K and a, solvation of polymer molecules, and the
presence of alternating or block sequences in the polymer backbone. Chain
entanglement is not usually a problem at high dilution except for extremely high
molecular weights polymer. Ubbelohde type viscometer is more convenient to use
Fig. 2.10 Schematic of cone-plate rotational viscometer [2]
for the measurement of polymer viscosity, because it is not necessary to have exact
volumes of solution to obtain reproducible results. Furthermore, additional solvent
can be added (assuming the reservoir is large enough); thus concentration can be
reduced without having to empty and refill the viscometer. A schematic of the
Ubbelohde type viscometer is given in Fig. 2.9.
The viscosity of polymer can also be measured by the cone-plate rotational
viscometer as shown in Fig. 2.10. The molten polymer or polymer solution is
contained between the bottom plate and the cone, which is rotated at a constant
velocity ðXÞ. Shear stress ðsÞ is defined as
3M
s¼ ð2:32Þ
2pR3
where M is the torque in dynes per centimeter (CGS) or in newtons per meter (SI),
and R is the cone radius in centimeters. Shear rate ðr_ Þ is given by
X
r_ ¼ ð2:33Þ
a
where X is the angular velocity in degrees per second (CGS) or in radians per
second (SI) and a is the cone angle in degrees or radians. Viscosity is then
s 3aM kM
g¼ ¼ ¼ ð2:34Þ
r_ 2pR3 X X
where k is
3a
k¼ ð2:35Þ
2pR3
Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) involves the permeation of a polymer
solution through a column packed with microporous beads of cross-linked poly-
styrene. The column is packed from beads of different sized pore diameters, as
shown in Fig. 2.11. The large size molecules go through the column faster than the
small size molecule. Therefore, the largest molecules will be detected first. The
Fig. 2.11 Simple illustrations of the principle of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) [9].
(Adapted from I.M. Campbell, Introduction to Synthetic Polymers, Oxford, 1994, p. 26 with
permission)
smallest size molecules will be detected last. From the elution time of different
size molecule, the molecular weight of the polymer can be calculated through the
calibration curves obtained from polystyrene standard.
For example, the synthesis of diblock copolymer: poly(styrene)-b-poly(2-
vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) can be monitored by the GPC. Styrene is initiated by
sec-butyl lithium first and then the polystyrene anion formed until the styrene
monomer is completely consumed. Followed by introducing the 2-vinyl pyridine, a
PS-b-P2VP block copolymer is finally prepared (Fig. 2.12). As shown in Fig. 2.13,
the GPC results show that the PS anion was prepared first with low PDI (1.08).
After adding the 2-VP, the PS-b-P2VP block copolymer was analyzed by GPC
again, the PDI remained low, but the molecular weight has been doubled. More
detailed discussions of anionic polymerizations will be present in Chap. 8.
N
sec-Butyl Lithium + PS-Li+ + PS-PVP
Fig. 2.12 Synthesis of PS-b-P2VP via anionic polymerization
Fig. 2.13 GPC traces of PS 200

PS PDI~1.08 Mn=30,000
homo polymer and PS-b-
PS-PVP PDI~1.1 Mn=60,000
P2VP block copolymer. The 150
right peak is PS. The peak of
copolymer is shifted to the
left due to the addition of 100
Intensity
P2VP
50
-50
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Elusion Time (mins)
2.4 Problems
1. A ‘‘model’’ of a linear polyethylene having a molecular weight of about

200,000 is being made by using a paper clip to represent one repeating unit.
How many paper clips does one need to string together?
2. In general, the viscosity of polymer is reduced by increasing temperature.
How might the magnitude of this effect compare for the polymer in a ‘‘poor’’
solvent or in a ‘‘good’’ solvent? (This is the basis for all weather multi vis-
cosity motor oils.)
3. From the practical standpoint, is it better to use a ‘‘good’’ solvent or a ‘‘poor’’
solvent when measuring polymer molecular weight? Explain.
4. Discuss the value of knowledge of the molecular weight and distribution of a
polymer to the polymer scientist and engineer. Which method would you use
to obtain this information on a routine basis in the laboratory and in the
production respectively? Why? Which method would you use to obtain this
information for a new polymer type which is not previously known? Why?
5. What would be the number average, weight average molecular weight and
polydispersity of a sample of polypropylene that consists of 5 mol of 1000
unit propylene and 10 mol of 10,000 unit propylene?
6. A 0.5000-g sample of an unsaturated polyester resin was reacted with excess
acetic anhydride. Titration of the reaction mixture with 0.0102 M KOH
required 8.17 mL to reach the end point. What is the number average
2.4 Problems 25
Elution time (min.) Intensity

13.0 0.5
13.5 6.0
14.0 25.7
14.5 44.5
15.0 42.5
15.5 25.6
16.0 8.9
16.5 2.2
molecular weight of the polyester? Would this method be suitable for deter-
mining any polyester? Explain.
7. Explain how one might experimentally determine the Mark-Houwink-Saku-
rada constants K and a for a given polymer. Under what conditions can you
use ½g to measure r02 M 1 ? How can r02 M
1 be used to measure chain
branching?
8. The molecular weight of poly(methyl methacrylate) was measured by gel
permeation chromatography in tetrahydrofuran at 25°C and obtained the
above data:
The polystyrene standard (PDI * 1.0) under the same conditions gave a
linear calibration curve with M = 98,000 eluting at 13.0 min. and M = 1,800
eluting at 16.5 min.
a. Calculate M w and M n using the polystyrene calibration curve.
b. If the PDI of polystyrene is larger than 1.0, what errors you will see in the
M n and M
w of poly(methyl methacrylate).
c. Derive the equation that defines the type of molecular weight obtained in
the ‘‘universal’’ calibration method in gel permeation chromatography.
9. Please explain why the gel permeation chromatography method can measure
n and M
both M w , but the osmotic pressure method can only measure the M
n
and the light scattering method can only measure M w.
10. Please calculate the end-to-end distance of a polymer with molecular weight
of 1 million and intrinsic viscosity of 2.10 dl/g and assume U ¼ 2:1 X 1021 .
What is the solution behavior of this polymer? [10]
References
1. G. Odian, Principle of Polymerization, 4th edn. (Wiley Interscience, New York, 2004)
2. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford, New York, 1999)
3. P.A. Small, J. Appl. Chem. 3, 71–80 (1953)
4. K.L. Hoy, J. Paint Tech. 42, 76–118 (1970)

5. J. Brandrup, E.H. Immergut (eds.), Polymer Handbook, 3rd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1989)
6. A.F.M. von Barton, CRC Handbook of Polymer-Liquid Interaction Parameters and Solubility
Parameters (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1990)
7. P.J. Flory, Principles of Polymer Chemistry. (Cornell University, Ithaca, 1953)
8. F.W. Billmeyer, Jr., Textbook of Polymer Science, 3rd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1984)
9. I.M. Campbell, Introduction to Synthetic Polymers. (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994)
10. K.A. Peterson, M.B. Zimmt, S. Linse, R.P. Domingue, M.D. Fayer, Macromolecules 20,
168–175 (1987)
Chapter 3
Structure Morphology Flow of Polymer
The chemical composition, configuration and molecular arrangement determine

the structure of polymer. The physical structure of polymer is the morphology of
polymer. The nonpolar polyethylene chain can be folded into ordered structure to
have high crystallinity and exhibit good physical properties of toughness, strength,
etc. The polar polymers as shown in Fig. 3.1 exhibit intermolecular interactions
that result in high crystallinity and exhibits good physical properties as well. There
are some factors which affect polymer flow, such as temperature (kinetic energy),
molecular weight (molecular entanglement), and molecular structure. The high
crystalline polymer is usually difficult to process due to its high viscosity. The
liquid crystalline polymer is an exception. It exhibits both excellent physical
properties and low viscosity at liquid state (discuss later). The crosslinked polymer
is obtained either by chemically bonding or physically bonding. The polymer is
not crosslinked and is in liquid form for the ease of processing but it becomes
crosslinked to have good mechanical strength after processing.
3.1 Chemical and Molecular Structure of Polymer
The geometrical arrangement of the atoms in a polymer chain can be divided into
two categories. The first category is configurational arrangements which are fixed
by the chemical bonding in the molecule. The configuration of a polymer chain
cannot be altered unless chemical bonds are broken and reformed. The second
category is conformational arrangements which arise from the rotation of single
bonds. Examples involving conformations of polymer chains include trans versus
gauche arrangement of consecutive carbon–carbon single bonds and the helical
arrangements found in some polymer crystal structures. Polymer configurations
include head-to-head, tail-to-tail and head-to-tail arrangements in vinyl polymers,
several stereoregular arrangements of 1,2- and 1,4-addition cis or trans isomers, or
d and l forms, and arrangements around asymmetric carbon atoms.
Stereo-isomerism in polymers arises from different spatial arrangements
(configurations) of the atoms or substituents in a molecule. Tacticity is the regularity

28 3 Structure Morphology Flow of Polymer
(a) (b) H (c)

CH 2
δ+ O δ+ N
R CH
C C R
δ− O δ− O CO 2-
M 2+
O
δ+ H CO 2-
δ+ C R
N CH
O
δ− R δ− C CH 2
O
Fig. 3.1 Intermolecular forces in polar polymers: a Dipole–dipole interaction in polyester.

b Hydrogen bonding in polyamide. c Ionic bonding in ionomer
in the configurations of successive stereo centers that determines the order of the
polymer chain, such as (–CH2–C*HR–)n where * is stereo center. Figure 3.2 shows
the different examples of tacticity. Atactic is that the R group on successive stereo
centers are randomly distributed on the two sides of the planar zig–zag polymer
chain and thus the polymer chain does not have order. Isotactic is that the stereo
center in each repeating unit in the polymer chain has the same configuration. All the
R groups are located on one side of the plane of the carbon–carbon polymer chain
either all above or all below the plane of the chain. Syndiotactic is that the stereo
H H R H R H H H R H H H H
C C C C C C C
C C C C C C
R H H H H H R H H H R H R
R H R H R H R H R H R H R
C C C C C C C
C C C C C C
H H H H H H H H H H H H H
H H R H H H R H H H R H H
C C C C C C C
C C C C C C
R H H H R H H H R H H H R
Fig. 3.2 Different polymer structures from a monosubstituted ethylene, –(CH2CHR)n–, Atactic
(top), Isotactic (center), Syndiotactic (bottom) [1]
3.1 Chemical and Molecular Structure of Polymer 29
Fig. 3.3 Configurations of H R H R H R

mm, mr, rr of poly(methyl C C C
methacrylate)
C C C mm
H H H H H H
H R R H H R
C C C rr
C C C
H H H H H H
H R H R R H
C C C
mr
C C C
H H H H H H
center alternates from one repeating unit to the next with the R groups located
alternately on the opposite sides of the plane of the polymer chain.
In addition to poly(alpha) olefin, polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and
1,2 addition of polybutadiene can also exhibit either isotactic or syndiotactic
structure. Whether a polymer is isotactic or syndiotactic usually determines its
crystal structure, and the assignment of an all-isotactic or all-syndiotactic structure
to a polymer can be made from its crystal structure. NMR spectroscopy is a
powerful technique to determine the stereospecificity of polymer (the principle of
NMR spectroscopy will be discussed in Chap. 5). It allows the determination of the
stereoregular configuration of successive monomers in sequences. For example,
the NMR spectrum of methylene protons in poly(methyl methacrylate) allows one
to distinguish between and determine the relative numbers of sequences of two
monomer units (dyads) that have syndiotactic (racemic, r) and isotactic (meso, m)
symmetry. The alpha-methyl proton resonance allows estimation of the numbers of
3-monomer sequences (triads) with configurations mm, mr, and rr. Figure 3.3
shows the configurations of mm, mr, rr of poly(methyl methacrylate).
The synthesized poly(3-(n-hexyl)thiophene) (P3HT) can have three configura-
tions: head-to-head, tail-to-tail and head-to-tail. Only the head-to-tail configuration
shows high crystallinity due to the presence of even spacing among the monomers
in the head-to-tail configuration as shown in Fig. 3.4. The stereospecificity of
P3HT can also be determined by the NMR as shown in Fig. 3.5. The chemical
shift of methylene proton of hexyl side chain of thiophene is different resulted
from their position, so it can be easily identified and calculated the stereospeci-
ficity of the polymer.
Many polymers are capable of rotating the plane of polarization of light and are
optical active such as poly(L-propylene oxide). The optical activity of low
molecular weight compound is associated with the presence of asymmetric carbon
C 6 H13 C6 H13 C6 H13
S S S
S S S
C 6H 13 C 6H 13 C 6H 13
Head-to-tail tail-to-tail head-to-head
Fig. 3.4 Three configurations of poly(3-(n-hexyl) thiophene)
The regioregularity of P3HT is around 93.2%.
b’ b
a
S S n S
b’
Fig. 3.5 Stereospecificity determination of poly(3-(n-hexyl) thiophene) by NMR
atoms. However, it is not universally true in polymers. The every second chain of
substituted vinyl polymer is theoretically asymmetric, yet such polymers are not
usually optically active, even when isotactic or syndiotactic, because of intramo-
lecular compensation.
O CH CH 2
n
CH 3
poly(L-propylene oxide)
3.2 Crystal Structure of Homopolymer 31
3.2 Crystal Structure of Homopolymer
The X-ray patterns of most crystalline polymers show both sharp features asso-
ciated with ordered regions and diffuse features with molecularly disordered
regions. Therefore both crystalline structure and amorphous structure coexist in the
crystalline polymer. Additional evidence indicates that the density of crystalline
polymer is in between the theoretical calculated value of complete crystalline
polymer and amorphous polymer as shown in Table 3.1.
The crystallinity of polymers is closely related to the chemically and geomet-
rically regular structure of polymer chain. However, atactic polymer can form
crystalline as long as the size of repeating unit can fit into the crystal lattices
despite of stereochemical irregularity. Polyethylene can exhibit highly ordered
arrangement with all of the carbon atoms in one plane when the C–C bonds form a
zig–zag. Figure 3.6a shows these zig–zag sections of chains which easily pack
together closely to form orthorhombic crystalline. Single crystal of linear poly-
ethylene has been fabricated from a solution in perchloroethylene as shown in
Fig. 3.6b. Irregularities such as branching in the polyethylene or copolymerization
with other different structure monomer will reduce crystallinity.
The crystal structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) is similar to that of polyethylene,
since the CH(OH) group is small enough to fit into the polyethylene structure in
place of a CH2 group. The unit cell is monoclinic. Pairs of chains are linked
together by hydrogen bonds and then linked into sheets, as long as the stereo-
chemical irregularity allows. Fully extended planar zig–zag is 3.3 kJ/mole of
molecular dynamic energy less than that of the gauche. Thus, the zig-zag con-
formation is favored to form crystalline structure unless substituents on the chains
cause steric hindrance. Syndiotactic polymers such as poly(vinyl chloride),
poly(1,2-butadiene), most polyamides and cellulose exhibit the similar crystalline
structure. In most aliphatic polyesters and in poly(ethylene terephthalate), the
polymer chains are shortened by rotation about the C–O bonds to allow close
packing. As a result, the main chains are no longer planar. However the tere-
phthalate unit in poly(ethylene terephthalate) remains planar as required by res-
onance. That results in higher packaging and thus higher crystallinity for
poly(ethylene terephthalate) as compared with aliphatic polyesters.
Table 3.1 Densities of polymers in bulk, crystalline and amorphous states [2]
Polymer Density (kg dm-3)
Typical bulk Crystalline Amorphous
Polyethylene (LDPE) 0.91-0.93
Polyethylene (LLDPE) 0.93-0.94 1.00 0.86
Polyethylene (HDPE)
0.95-0.96
Polyethylene (VLDPE)
0.90-0.91
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) 1.41 1.46 1.34
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 2.19 2.30 2.00
Fig. 3.6 a The arrangement of C–H in the crystallites of polyethylene. Reproduced by

permission of the Royal Society of Chemistry [3]. b Single crystal polyethylene shows platelet
like structure. Reproduced by permission of Journal of Applied Physics [4]
O O
O C C O
terephthalate
The substituted vinyl polymer –(CH2–CHR)– with large bulky R group usually
is in amorphous structure through free radical polymerization. For example,
poly(methyl methacrylate), polyacrylonitrile, rubber and polystyrene. Amorphous
polymers do not scatter light, so they are transparent in visible light. Thus, they can
be used as light weight glass such as poly(methyl methacrylate) with a trade name
of Flexglas.
The large size substituted polymer can be organized in isotactic structure
through coordination polymerization. For example, poly(methyl methacrylate),
polystyrene can crystallize with a helical conformation in which alternate chain
bonds take trans and gauche positions. For the gauche position, the rotation is
always in the direction that relieves steric hindrance by placing R and H groups in
juxtaposition, generating either a left-hand or a right-hand helix as shown in
Fig. 3.7. If the side group is not too bulky, the helix has exactly three units per turn
and the arrangement is similar to that in Fig. 3.7a. This form has been found in
isotactic polypropylene, poly(1-butene), polystyrene. More bulky side groups
require more space, resulting in the formation of looser helices as shown in
Fig. 3.7b–d. Isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) forms a helix with five units in
two turns, while polyisobutylene forms a helix with eight units in five turns. The
poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) contains larger size of F atom than that of H atom. Two
helical conformations are existed. They are twist ribbons in which the fully
3.2 Crystal Structure of Homopolymer 33
Fig. 3.7 Helical conformation of isotactic vinyl polymers. Reproduced from Wiley-Interscience
with permission [5]
extended planar form is distorted to have an 180o twist in 13 CF2 units in the more
stable form at low temperature. Above 19°C, this form is replaced by a slightly
untwisted conformation with 15 CF2 units per half-twist.
3.3 Crystal Structure of Copolymer
Crystallinity is not expected to find in alternating copolymer and random

copolymer. The repeating unit of alternating copolymer is too short to form
organized structure. If A and B unit in the alternating copolymer are in similar
molecular size, the crystallization behavior will be similar to that of homopolymer.
Fig. 3.8 Varieties of nanostructures and phase diagram of block copolymers. Reproduced from
Physics Today with permission [6]
The random copolymer does not have regular and ordered sequence, so the
crystalline cannot be formed.
For the block copolymer, various crystalline structures can be formed according
to their chemical structure, chemical composition and interactions among blocks.
The crystalline behaviors of diblock copolymers have been extensively studied.
Figure 3.8a shows the varieties of crystalline structure in diblock copolymers with
different volume fractions. A phase diagram can be constructed for various diblock
copolymer compositions at different temperature as shown in Fig. 3.8b, c. The
formation of crystalline structure in diblock copolymer is due to the phase sepa-
ration between two blocks. It is called self assembly phenomena. The crystalline
domain is in the range of 10–20 nm depends on the size of each block. These
nanostructured copolymers have generated many interests in the nanodevice
applications, because they can be used as low cost nanolithographic resist defining
nanopitch circuits without using expensive electron beam exposure unit.
Factors that influence the phase diagram of diblock copolymers are determined
by: I (intrinsically immiscible interaction parameter), v (the degree of thermody-
namic incompatibility), N (degree of polymerization). The narrow molecular
weight distribution copolymers have to be used, so one can obtain a clear-cut
phase boundary. Therefore, the copolymer usually is synthesized using living
polymerization (will be discussed in Chaps. 8 and 10). Figure 3.9 shows poly(3-
hexyl thiophene)-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) can be synthesized by sequential
polymerization. The vinyl terminated poly(3-hexyl thiophene) was first
3.3 Crystal Structure of Copolymer 35
C6H13
C6H13 1. MgCl C6H13
BrMg
Br S Br S Br
2. THF/ reflux 1.5hr S
1 n
3. Ni(dppp)Cl2 2
4.
MgBr
C6 H 13 C 6H 13
1. s-BuLi
CH 2 CH
S n S
2. 2-vinylpyridine n m
N
THF/-78oC Bu
Fig. 3.9 Synthetic scheme of poly(3-hexyl thiophene)-b-poly(vinyl pyridine)
synthesized by Grignard metathesis polymerization with one end capped with

phenyl group then subsequently reacted with 2-vinyl pyridine to obtain the block
copolymer by anionic polymerization [7].
Various compositions of copolymers can be synthesized using anionic macro-
initiator of polythiophene to initiate 2-vinylpyridine monomer to obtain P3HT-b-
P2VP copolymers as summarized in Table 3.2. Their TEM microstructures are
shown in Fig. 3.10. The copolymer exhibits structures of nanofibrils, lamella,
cylinder and sphere by changing the volume fraction of P2VP from 20, 29, 68,
87 % respectively [8]. The P3HT segment is more rigid than P2VP segment, so at
lower volume fraction of P2VP, less curvature morphology is observed such as
fiber, lamella.
The TEM technique can only examine the morphology of copolymer locally.
We have to use small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique to study long range
order behaviors of copolymers as shown in Fig. 3.11. The instrument set up is
described in Fig. 5.15. The long range order of different copolymers has been
observed for all the samples and it is in agreement with TEM observation.
Table 3.2 Molecular parameters of P3HT-b-P2VP block copolymers

Sample FP2VP(%)* Mn, P3HT Mn, P2VP
P3HT 0 6,800 –
HTVP20 20 6,800 1,600
HTVP29 29 6,800 2,600
HTVP46 46 6,800 5,600
HTVP57 57 6,800 8,600
HTVP68 68 6,800 13,800
HTVP76 76 6,800 20,400
HTVP87 87 6,800 41,800
* Volume fraction of P2VP in copolymer
Fig. 3.10 TEM photos of P3HT-b-P2VP microstructure morphology at four copolymer

compositions of 20, 29, 68 and 87 % volume of P2VP. a, c, e, g are solvent casted samples;
b, d, f, h are 130°C annealed samples [8]
3.3 Crystal Structure of Copolymer 37
Fig. 3.11 SAXS profiles of P3HT-b-P2VP block copolymers with different compositions.
HTVP20 is nanofibril structure; HTVP29, HTVP46, and HTVP57 are lamellar structure;
HTVP68 and HTVP76 are hexagonal cylinder structure and HTVP87 is spherical structure [8]
The phase diagram of P3HT-b-P2VP has also been constructed using temper-
ature varied TEM, SAXS and WAXS as shown in Figs. 3.12, 3.13 and 3.14
respectively.
The feature of phase diagram of the self assembly diblock copolymer depends
on the chemical structure of each block as shown in Fig. 3.14. Figure 3.15 shows
the phase diagrams of different diblock copolymers. The P3HT-b-P2VP is a rod-
coil system. The P3HT rod is not flexible enough to obtain gyroid structure easily
as observed in coil–coil system. The PPV-b-PI system exhibits simpler phase
diagram than the P3HT-b-P2VP system, because the PPV is more rigid (higher
aspect ratio of diameter versus length of molecule) as compared with P3HT.
3.4 Liquid Crystalline Polymer
Liquid crystals are neither true liquids nor true solids. Liquid crystallinity (LC)
occurs when molecules become aligned in a crystalline array while still in the
liquid state that exhibits anisotropic property. The ordered regions in the liquid are
Fig. 3.12 TEM photos of HTVP68 self assembled into a hexagonal closed-packed cylinders
after annealed at 130°C for 24 h plus liquid nitrogen quenching, b a gyroid phase after annealed
at 150°C for 24 h plus liquid nitrogen quenching, c disordered phase after annealed at 220°C for
24 h plus liquid nitrogen quenching and d hexagonal close-packed cylinders after cooling from
220°C and annealing at 130°C for 24 h then liquid nitrogen quenching [8]
called mesophases. Molecules exhibit LC behavior when their structures are rel-
atively rigid, elongated or disc like. The morphology of LC may be influenced by
external magnetic or electrical field, shear force, sometimes they change color with
temperature. They exhibit fluidity of liquids and the opaqueness of crystalline
solids. The LC polymers developed in late 1970. They contain rigid moiety in the
polymers. The rigid moiety is called mesogen which is responsible for the
mesophases.
There are two major classifications of liquid crystals: lyotropic type and ther-
motropic type. Lyotropic liquid crystals form under the influence of solvent. A
commercially available lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer is the aromatic poly-
amide (du Pont trade name Kevlar). The structure of Kevlar is shown in below.
O O
C C NH NH
Thermotropic liquid crystals form in the melt (upon heating). Copolyesters

prepared from terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid
3.4 Liquid Crystalline Polymer 39
Fig. 3.13 Temperature varied SAXS profiles of P3HT-b-P2VP, a and b heating and cooling of
HTVP29; c and d heating and cooling of HTVP68 [8]
Fig. 3.14 WAXS profiles of P3HT-b-P2VP, a room temperature samples after thermal
annealing, b samples are under varied temperature condition [8]
3.4 Liquid Crystalline Polymer 41
Fig. 3.15 Phase diagrams of a P3HT-b-P2VP [8], b coil–coil block copolymer [6], and c rod-
coil DEH-PPV-b-PI [9]
exhibit liquid crystalline behavior. The structures of monomers are shown in

below.
HO 2 C CO 2 H HOCH 2 CH 2 OH HO CO 2 H
The melt viscosity of copolyester was increased initially when the amount of p-
hydroxy benzoic acid was increased due to the incorporation of ‘‘rigid’’ p-hydroxy
benzoate unit [10]. At levels of about 30 mol %, however, the melt viscosity
Fig. 3.16 Effect of p-

hydroxybenzoic acid
concentration on melt
viscosity of a terephthalic
acid/p-hydroxybenzoic acid/
ethylene glycol copolyester.
Reproduced from Journal of
Polymer Science with
permission [10]
Fig. 3.17 Representations of (a)

mesogenic group (box) and
flexible spacers ( ) in a the
backbone and b the side chain (b)
of liquid crystalline polymers
[11]
began to decrease, reaching a minimum at about 60–70 mol %. This is shown in

Fig. 3.16 at four different shear rates. The decrease in viscosity and increase in
opaqueness arises from the onset of LC polymers which is due to the increased
backbone rigidity. The increase in rigidity decreases the entanglement of polymer
chain which is an effective way to reduce viscosity.
Major drawbacks to liquid crystalline polymers are that they have a very high
melting point and are difficult to dissolve in the common organic solvents. One
approach to resolve these difficulties is to separate the rigid back bone groups with
flexible spacers such as ethylene units, ethylene oxide units, or silane units (their
structures are shown below). Another approach is to attach mesogens with flexible
spacers to the polymer backbone. Both types of liquid crystalline polymers are
illustrated schematically in Fig. 3.17.
CH3
CH 2CH2O Si O
CH2CH2
CH3
3.5 Crosslinked Polymer 43
3.5 Crosslinked Polymer
The polymers discussed above are thermoplastics which will flow upon heating or
dissolving in solvent. Linking polymer chains through covalent or ionic bonds
forms a network that decreases molecular freedom, increases thermal resistance
and polymer rigidity but decreases the flow property. The crosslinked covalent
bonds are usually formed by chemical reaction upon heating. This class polymer is
called thermoset. The epoxy resin is one of the most common thermosets and used
widely in the electrical insulation of electrical equipment where heat will generate
during the operation of the equipment. The crosslinked polymers are no longer
dissolved but swell in solvent (except ionically crosslinked). The swollen cross-
linked polymer is called a gel. The 300–1,000 micron gelled particle of crosslinked
polystyrene is called microgels that are used in solid-phase synthesis and catalyst
immobilization.
The crosslink density C is determined by the number average molecular weight
between crosslinks ðM n Þc dividing the number average molecular weight of un-
crosslinked polymer ðM n Þ as shown below.
o
nÞ
ðM
C¼ c ð3:1Þ
ðMn Þo
Crosslink density is the number of crosslinked monomer units per main chain
(theoretical value). For example, as a polymer where one of every 20 molecules is
a trifunctional isocyanate, nine of every 20 molecules is a bifunctional isocyanate,
and 10 of every 20 molecules is a bifunctional alcohol, we could say the crosslink
density of this polymer is 0.05 [1/20]. In practice for actual value, the crosslinking
density is measured by swelling ratio and extract ratio test (ASTM D2765-95), and
their ratios are equal to:
Vol: of crosslinked polymer þ Vol: of absorbed solvent
Swell ratio ¼ ð3:2Þ
Vol: of crosslinked polymer
Weight of extract
Extract ratio ¼ ð3:3Þ
Weight of crosslinked polymer
By introducing strong secondary bonding attraction between polymer chains,
the polymer can exhibit properties of a thermosetting material while remaining
thermoplastic behavior. Crystalline polymers fit into this category. Because of the
very strong secondary forces arising from close chain packing, many of the
mechanical and solution properties of crystalline polymers are similar to those of
crosslinked amorphous polymers. For example, thermoplastic elastomer can be
crosslinked through hydrogen bonds. A common type of thermoplastic elastomers
(TPE) has polyurethane structures. This type of polyurethane can be prepared by
reacting excess amount of methylene 4,40 -diphenyl diisocyanate with polyols
(hydroxyl terminated long chain aliphatic polyester or polyether) to form
O O
N ( CH 2 ) 2 N C N CH 2 N C O
H H H H n
Fig. 3.18 Polyurethane type of thermoplastic elastomer
Fig. 3.19 Representation of

aggregation in an ABA block
thermoplastic elastomer (
represents end blocks, circle
represents microdomains)
[11]
isocyanate terminated oligomer. Then the oligomer is reacted with ethylene dia-
mine to yield polyurethane with the structure shown in Fig. 3.18 [2]. The polymer
contains soft segment and hard segment from the polyols domain and urethane
urea domain respectively.
Polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene (-ABA-copolymer, rigid-flexible-rigid)
is another example. A and B are immiscible, B block aggregates into microdomain
within the polymer matrix, as shown in Fig. 3.19 to have physical crosslinking
with improved mechanical properties.
3.6 Polymer Blend
Polymer blend is a mixture of two or more polymers without chemical bonding. It

is also called polymer alloy. Miscible blend is clear and exhibits one phase
transition, for instance, GE Noryl is a polymer blend of polystyrene and poly (oxy-
2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene). Immiscible blend is opaque and exhibits more than
one phase transition, such as ABS (acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) plastics. It is
prepared by an amorphous styrene-butadiene copolymer dissolving in styrene and
acrylonitrile first and then undergoing further polymerization. Chain transfer
reactions may occur to graft one copolymer to the other [11].
The property (P) of miscible binary polymer blend can be quantified by the
semi empirical relationship,
P ¼ P1 ;1 þ P2 ;2 þ I;1 ;2 ð3:4Þ
where ; is the volume fraction in the blend and I is the interaction factor that may
be negative, zero, or positive. If the property is entirely additive, I = 0. If I is
3.6 Polymer Blend 45
Fig. 3.20 Hypothetical

property-concentration
relationships for a binary
miscible polymer blend [11]
Fig. 3.21 Representation of

the use of an AB block
copolymer to improve
interfacial adhesion in an
immiscible polyblend [11]
positive, every component has synergistic effect to each other which results in
better property than the weighted average. If I is negative, every component is
nonsynergistic, then the property is worse than the weighted average. Figure 3.20
shows these three possible phenomena in the plot of property versus concentration.
When the two polymers are not miscible, by incorporate compatibilizers into
the blend, the adhesion between phases can be improved. For example, an
incompatible blend of homopolymers of poly(A) and poly(B), by adding the block
copolymer made from A and B monomers, the natural affinities of the blocks for
their respective homopolymers will localize the copolymer at the phase boundary
and help ‘‘glue’’ the two immiscible phases together, as depicted in Fig. 3.21.
3.7 Polymer Flow Under Shear Force
The science of deformation and flow of material is called rheology. To cause a

polymer to deform or flow requires the application of a force. If a force is applied,
then withdraw quickly, the polymer molecules tend to revert to their previous,
undisturbed configuration, this process is called a relaxation–elastic property of
polymer. Because of chain entanglement and frictional effects, the flowing liquid
will be very viscous. The combination of elasticity and viscous flow is called
viscoelastic properties of polymer.
A variety of forces are applicable to polymer deformation, and the most
important one is shear force (or tangential stress). Shear is a force applied to one
side of a surface in a direction parallel to the surface. If a rectangle is subjected to
shear, for example, it becomes a parallelogram as illustrated in Fig. 3.22. Shear
stress ðsÞ is defined as the force ðFÞ in dynes (or newtons) per unit of surface area
ðAÞ in square centimeters (or square meters); that is,
s ¼ F=A ð3:5Þ
Shear causes polymer molecule to flow past one another, when a polymer is in the
liquid or molten state.
Viscosity is a measure of resistance to flow which has been used in the dis-
cussion of polymer solution in Chap. 2. In this chapter, we concentrate on the flow
properties of neat polymers. When the polymer is under the shear force s ¼ F=A;
shear strain, c is the amount of deformation can be expressed by
Fig. 3.22 Illustration of

shear force (tangential stress)
applied to an object [11]
3.7 Polymer Flow under Shear Force 47
Table 3.3 Viscosity values Matter Viscosity (Pa.s)

of different matters
Gas 10-5
Water 10-3
Glycerine 1
Polymer 102–106
X
c¼ ð3:6Þ
Y
The resistance to shear is the shear modulus, G, which is the ratio of stress to shear
strain and expressed by
s
G¼ ð3:7Þ
c
Shear rate, ð_rÞ, also called the velocity gradient, is the rate at which the planes (see
Fig. 3.22) or molecules (in an amorphous liquid) flow relative to one another:
dc
r_ ¼ ð3:8Þ
dt
If the shear stress increases in proportion to the shear rate, the liquid is called
Newtonian (or ideal) liquid. It follows the Newton’s law of viscosity:
s ¼ g_r ð3:9Þ
where the proportionality constant, g, is the viscosity. Units of viscosity are poises
(dyne s/cm2), or in the SI system, Pascal-seconds (Pa s = newton s/m2). Table 3.3
is the list of viscosity of different matters as compared to glycerine. The polymer
exhibits at least two orders higher viscosity than glycerine.
The viscosity of neat polymer can be described by the Williams-Landel-Ferry
(WLF) equation for temperature ranged from Tg to Tg þ 100 K as shown in
Eq. 3.10. Tg is the glass transition temperature of polymer which indicates the
transition temperature of polymer from rigid solid state to rubber state (the effect
of chemical structure on the Tg of polymer will be discussed in Sect. 3.8).

B Em
g ¼ A exp þ ð3:10Þ
T T0 RT
where A, B are adjustable constant, R is gas constant, Ev is apparent activation
energy for viscous flow which is related to free volume, T0 \ Tg (T0 is the tem-
perature of free volume being equal to zero). The Arrhenius equation (Arrhenius-
Frenkel-Eyring AFE formula) can be used for temperature above Tg þ 100 K

Em
g ¼ A exp ð3:11Þ
RT
Ev
Table 3.4 Temperature effect on polymer viscosity ln g ¼ ln A þ RT
Polymer Activation energy Temperature at Viscosity
Linear Small T1 Low
Linear Small T2(T2 [ T1) Lowered with small extent
Bulky sub. Large T1 High
Bulky sub. Large T2(T2 [ T1) Lowered with large extent
Bulky sub. Large T2(T2 \ T1) Higher than linear polymer
Fig. 3.23 Types of shear

flow: a Newtonian;
b Bingham Newtonian;
c shear thinning; and d shear
thickening [11]
The shear rate dependence of viscosity can be expressed by Carrean A model as

below which is not temperature dependent, so called compensation effects for
polymer melts.
g0
g¼ ð3:12Þ
½1 þ ðk_r Þ2 s
where g is the viscosity at a shear rate of r_ ; g0 ; k; and s are the model parameters.
This relation is known to fit most polymer viscosity data obtained from simple
shear flow experiment quite well [12]. The viscosity of the polymer depends on the
chemical structure of the polymer and temperature. At the same amount of
repeating unit of polymer, the bulky structured polymers from bulky branch or
substituent have higher Em than that of linear polymers. At a specific temperature
ðT1 Þ, the polymer with more bulky chain branch or substituent exhibits higher
viscosity because the polymer has less free volume. When the temperature
increases from T1 to T2 , its effect on the viscosity will be less for linear polymer
but more for bulky structured polymer. Table 3.4 shows the extent of temperature
effect on the polymer viscosity for different chain structures and different acti-
vation energy of polymer flow.
Deviations from ordinary Newtonian liquid behavior are common in polymer
flow. One type is called a Bingham Newtonian fluid which is defined as
Fig. 3.24 a Newtonian

(slope = 1); b shear thinning
(slope \ 1); c shear
thickening (slope [ 1) [11]
Fig. 3.25 Shear thinning

arising from disentanglement
[11]
s ¼ sc þ g_r ð3:13Þ
where sc is the critical shear stress, or threshold stress. It is the stress needed to
initiate flow. Other deviations are non-Newtonian. They occur where shear stress
does not increase in direct proportion to shear rate. The deviation may be in the
direction of thinning or thickening. These various possibilities are illustrated in
Fig. 3.23.
Thixotropic liquid has gel like high viscosity at low stress, but thin out at high
shear force such as stirring. The difference between shear thinning and thixotropic
is that the former dependent on shear rate, the later is independent of shear rate but
dependent on time at a fixed shear rate. Flow behavior may also be expressed by a
power law equation:
s ¼ A_r B ð3:14Þ
where A is a constant and B an index of flow. For a Newtonian fluid, the rela-
tionships of B ¼ 1 and A ¼ g ðs ¼ g_rÞ are held. A plot of log s versus log r_ is
linear with slope equal to B and intercept equal to log A (Fig. 3.24).
The viscosity of polymer usually decreases at high shear rate due to the
decrease in molecular entanglement as shown in Fig. 3.25. In the amorphous state
there is considerable entanglement of the chains, and while low shear rates may
disrupt this to a degree, the mass retains its entangled character. As shear rate
increases, disruption may occur faster than the chains can re-entangle, and the
resultant decreasing entanglement allows the molecules to flow with less resis-
tance, hence the decrease in viscosity.
Fig. 3.26 Effect of

molecular weight on
Newtonian viscosity [11]
Fig. 3.27 Effect of

molecular weight distribution
on shear thinning [11]
The molecular entanglement is increased as the molecular weight increases.

Therefore, molecular weight is a critical variable in rheology. Studies have shown
that there exists a critical molecular weight ðM c Þ for entanglement to begin for
flexible chain polymers as illustrated in Fig. 3.26. The slope of log of Newtonian
viscosity ðg0 Þ against the log of weight average molecular weight ðM w Þ becomes
steep (very large) after the M c . For most polymers, the critical molecular weight
falls in the range of 4,000–15,000. The critical molecular weight is a function of
chain length and equal to average DP of 600 (e.g. polyethylene –(CH2CH2)–,
600 9 14 = 8,400). A critical chain length, rather than a critical molecular weight
is necessary for entanglement.
Polymer viscosity is increasing logarithmically with molecular weight
(Fig. 3.26). The broader the molecular weight distribution, the lower the shear rate
at which shear thinning develops (Fig. 3.27). At a given molecular weight, shear
rate and temperature, the more highly branched polymer, the lower will be its
hydrodynamic volume and the lower its degree of entanglement. Although the
branched polymer has low viscosity for ease of processing, it is usually

mechanically weaker than the linear polymer due to lack of intermolecular sec-
ondary bond. The flow also depends on polymer conformation (shape), more rigid
polymers are significantly more viscous according to Mark-Houwink-Sakurada
(M–H–S) equation (Eq. 2.22) except liquid crystalline polymers as discussed
before. We observed that a varies from 0.5 for random coil to about one for more
rodlike extended shape.
Fig. 3.28 Segmental rotation

of a polymer chain into an
adjacent void volume under
stress, when internal rotation
takes place only about two
bonds (hooped arrows) [2]
Table 3.5 Typical Tg values of common thermoplastics (atactic forms) [2]

Polymer CRU structurea Tg (K)
Poly(oxymethylene) CH2 O 198
Polyethylene CH2 CH2 253
Poly(ethylene oxide) CH2 CH2 O 206
Polypropylene CH2 CHðCH3 Þ 267
Poly(propylene oxide) CH2 CHðCH3 ÞO 226
Polystyrene CH2 CHðC6 H5 Þ 381
Poly(a-methylstyrene) CH2 CðCH3 ÞðC6 H5 Þ 445
Poly(methylacrylate) CH2 CHðCð¼ OÞOCH3 Þ 281
Poly(methylmethacrylate) CH2 C(CH3 ÞðC( ¼ O)OCH3 Þ 394
Poly(vinyl chloride) CH2 CHðClÞ 354
Polyacrylonitrile CH2 CHðC N) 378
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) O CH2 CH2 OC( ¼ O)C6 H4 C( ¼ O) 340
Nylon 66 C( ¼ O)ðCH2 Þ4 C( ¼ O)NHðCH2 Þ6 NH 357
a
CRU = constitutional repeating unit
Table 3.6 Typical values of Tg of common elastomers (rubbers) [2]

Polymer x Tg(K)
Poly(cis-1,4-butadiene) H 165
Poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) CH3 206
Neoprene Cl 253
0.255nm 0.591nm
H3C CH3 H3C CH3

H CH3 H CH3
Si Si
112o 130o
0. 0. O O
15 32
4n 6n
m C m Si
H H3C CH3
H
Polypropylene Poly (dimethyl siloxane)
Fig. 3.29 Comparison of the geometries of the planar zig–zag conformations of polypropylene
and poly(dimethyl siloxane) [2]
3.8 Polymer Flow Under Thermal Stress
The polymer starts to flow at a specific temperature which is called glass transition
temperature ðTg Þ. The solid polymer changes from a hard glassy solid to a rubbery
(elastomers) or flexible (for themoplastics) state which involves the translational
movements of the polymer main chains and the rotational movements of the
segments (Fig. 3.28).
The translational movements are related to the molecular weight of the mole-
cule and free volume of the polymers. High crystalline and high density polymers
exhibit high Tg due to less free volume. Any structural feature which hinders the
rotation of segments of the molecular chain should increase the value of Tg of the
polymer. Tables 3.5 and 3.6 list the Tg of some common thermoplastics and
elastomers respectively. For the purpose of comparison of thermoplastic with
general CRU formula –CH2–CH(X)–, the Tg of polyethylene is taken as a refer-
ence point. Any substituting for the hydrogen atom on the ethylene chain, the Tg
will be increased due to increased steric hinderance of large size substituent; the
larger the substituent, the higher the Tg becomes. For instance, the Tg of poly-
styrene (381 K) is higher than that of polypropylene (267 K) and polyethylene
(253 K). When the substituent is more polar, the Tg will increase as well, such as
poly(vinyl chloride) (354 K) and polyacrylonitrile (378 K). The –Cl and –CN are
also larger then –H. This point also can be observed in elastomers with general
CRU formula –CH–CH=C(X)–CH–. The –C–O– bond has more free volume than
–C–C– bond due to the divalent of –O–, so the Tg of polyoxymethylene is lower
than polyethylene (198 K vs. 253 K).
3.8 Polymer Flow Under Thermal Stress 53
Table 3.7 Values of Tm, 4Hm, and 4Sm of some common polymers [2]
Polymer Tm (K) DHm (KJ mol-1) DSm (JK-1 mol-1)
Polyethylene 414 8.0 19.0
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 672 5.7 8.5
Poly(ethylene oxide) 342 8.7 25.0
Polystyrene (isotactic) 513 9.0 18.0
Polystyrene (syndiotactic) 542 8.6 16.0
Poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) 299 4.4 15.0
Poly(trans-1,4-isoprene) 347 13.0 37.0
Table 3.8 Comparison between Tm and Tg of diene polymers [11]

Polymer Isomer Tg (K) Tm (K)
1,4-polybutadiene cis 178 279
trans 190 418
1,4-polyisoprene cis 200 301
trans 215 347
Polysiloxanes are known commonly as ‘silicones’ and have remarkable prop-

erties, including chemical inertness and very low values of Tg . Figure 3.29 com-
pares the geometries of the extended chain structures of isotactic polypropylene
ðTg ¼ 255 KÞ and one of the common silicones, poly (dimethyl siloxane) with a Tg
of 155 K. It is the relatively large separation of the backbone silicon atoms and
their substituents which accounts for the ease of internal rotations and hence the
low Tg , which is even over 40 K lower than that of polyoxymethylene (198 K).
The Tm refers to a phase transition in which converts crystalline solid to liquid
polymer. The Tm can be expressed by the corresponding changes of enthalpy DHm
and entropy DSm . The corresponding Gibbs energy change ðDGm Þ is zero when the
process is conducted under equilibrium conditions so that DHm ¼ Tm DSm and
Tm ¼ DHm =DSm . Table 3.7 shows representative values of these parameters for
various common thermoplastics in which substantial fractions of bulk samples are
usually crystalline.
It is interest to observe that a large difference presents in the Tm between
polyethylene (–CH2–CH2–)n and poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) (PTFE) (–CF2CF2–)n.
As shown in Table 3.7, the DSm of PTFE is much lower than that of polyethylene
which is mainly responsible for the higher thermal stability of PTFE crystallites.
What is obvious is that the fluorine atoms, much larger than hydrogen atoms, form
an interlocking sheath along the PTFE chain. This difference is of particular sig-
nificance for the molten phases, in which PTFE chains will be much stiffer than
polyethylene chains, the latter being able to undergo almost free internal rotations
to explore a much larger range of conformations. Both Tg and Tm increase as
internal rotations in the bond and the backbones of polymer chains become more
hindered as shown in Table 3.8. In fact there is a useful approximate rule of thumb
Fig. 3.30 Plot of Tm versus Tg with the points corresponding to several polymers and the line
corresponding to Tg (K) = 2/3 Tm (K) shown [2]
which states that Tg ðKÞ is approximately equal to two-thirds (0.67) of Tm ðKÞ. The
rule is present in the actual case of the common polymers as shown in Fig. 3.30.
For the polymer blends, one Tg is observed for miscible blends such as the
blends of polystyrene and poly(oxy-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phylene) (GE Noryl poly-
mer). Immiscibe blends exhibit more than one Tg such as thermoplastic elastomer
of poly(styrene–butadiene–styrene). At room temperature, the polymer behaviors
as elastomer with low Tg but the polymer is physical interlocked at the end
terminated polymer styrene. At the Tg of polystyrene, the polymer can be soften
for ease of processing.
The values of Tm and Tg of copolymers depend on the type of copolymers. For
statistical copolymer, the crystallinity of statistical copolymer is lower than that of
either of the respective homopolymer because of the decrease in structural regu-
larity. The Tm of any crystalline material formed is usually lower than that of either
homopolymer. The Tg will be in between those for the two homopolymers. For
block copolymer, each type of block in block copolymer shows its corresponding
homopolymer as long as the block lengths are not too short (M w [ 10,000). This
offers the ability to combine the properties of two different polymers into one
block copolymer. For alternating copolymer has a regular structure, their crys-
tallinity may not be affected significantly unless one of repeating unit containing
rigid, bulky or excessively flexible chain segment. The Tg and Tm of alternating
copolymer are in between the two corresponding homopolymers.
3.8 Polymer Flow Under Thermal Stress 55
Fig. 3.31 Curves obtained

by differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC) on a
5.25 mg sample of poly
(ethylene terephthalate)
treated in different ways
before the measurements [2]
Fig. 3.32 P3HT-b-P2VP thermal properties (cooling slowly then heating) [8]
Accurate Tg and Tm can be determined by the established methods of DSC,

DTA, etc. Their principles and instruments will be discussed in Chap. 5. Fig-
ure 3.31 shows typical DSC profiles which have been obtained for samples of poly
(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) treated in different ways. The top-most profile is for
a totally amorphous sample obtained by rapid quenching of melted PET by
dropping into liquid nitrogen at 77 K, which allows no time for the development of
microcrystallinity. The middle profile is for a PET sample which has been cooled
Fig. 3.33 Study of P3HT

phase transition by wide
angle X-ray diffraction.
Reproduced from Ref. [13]
with permission
at a moderate rate from the melt and hence has a substantial degree of crystallinity.
The bottom-most profile is for a PET sample which has been cooled so slowly that
it can be considered to have been annealed. The annealing process is the pro-
cessing temperature remained near to Tm long enough to develop the maximum
possible degree of crystallinity.
The phase transition of the block copolymer, P3HT-b-P2VP has been studied
by DSC and shown in Fig. 3.32. The Tg of copolymer is from P2VP homopolymer
which is decreased with decreasing the amount of P2VP due to the decreased
molecular weight of P2VP. The P3HT homopolymer shows a relative low Tg as
compared with the copolymer, but have a Tm at 200°C due to the crystallization of
P3HT. However, the crystallization is suppressed by incorporating P2VP segment
larger than 20 % by volume, no Tm is observed in copolymer. Figure 3.33 shows
the phase transition of pure P3HT at (100) plane using X-ray diffraction mea-
surement. At 425 K, the P3HT is fully crystalline, but the crystallinity decreases
with increasing temperature. At 468 K the P3HT is melted which is close to the Tm
of P3HT.
3.9 Problems
1. Write concise definitions of the following terms:
(a) annealing (j) nucleation

(b) atactic (k) polyblend
(c) crosslink density (l) rheology
(d) glass transition temperature (m) shear stress
(e) head-to-tail polymer (n) shear thinning
(f) isotactic (o) syndiotactic
(g) lyotropic liquid crystal (p) thermoplastic elastomer
(h) mesogen (q) thermotropic liquid crystal
(i) mesophase (r) viscoelasticity
3.9 Problems 57
2. Draw the configuration diagram of the following head-to-tail polymers (five to

six repeat units):
(a) syndiotactic poly(vinyl chloride)
(b) isotactic poly(a-methyl styrene)
(c) atactic 1,2-polybutadiene
(d) syndiotactic poly(1,2-difluoroethylene)
(e) cis-1,4-polychloroprene
3. State the equations relating the melt viscosity of a polymer to (a) molecular
weight and (b) temperature.
4. (a) Compare and explain the phase diagram difference between coil–coil
block copolymer and coil-rod block copolymer. (b) Compare and explain the
phase diagram between P3HT-b-P2VP and PPV-b-PMMA. (Ho [14])
5. Which of the following ‘‘isomeric’’ polymers would you expect to exhibit the
greater crystallinity? Explain.
(a)
or CH2CH
CH2CH2CH
OH OCH3
(b) O O CH3 O O
C(CH2)4COCH2CCH2O or C(CH2)4COCH2CHCH2O
CH3 CH2CH3
(c)
CH2CF2 or CHFCHF
6. Speculate on why polyester clothing is more wrinkle resistant than cotton.

Why is a hot iron used to press out the wrinkles? The following figures show
their structures respectively.
OH OH
O O
O HO O
HO
OH n
OH
cellulose
O O
C C O CH2CH2 O
n
polyester
7. Which polymer in each of the following pairs would you expect to exhibit the
higher glass transition temperature? Explain your choice in each case.
(a) CH2CH or CH2CH
Cl F
(b)
O O or O O
O OC CH CH C O OC CH2CH2 C
(c) or
CH2CH2NH CH2CH2O
(d) O or O
O C O C
(e) O O or O O
C COCH2CH2O C COCH2CH2O
CH2CH2CH3 CH(CH3)2
8. Compare the difference in crystallinity and Tg among homopolymer, block-
copolymer, alternating copolymer, random copolymer.
9. Compare the differences between conventional polymer and liquid crystalline
polymer in terms of their chemical structure, thermal property and flow
property.
10. Discuss the differences of self assembly behaviors between diblock copolymer
and triblock copolymer. (Bates [15]).
References
1. F.W. Billmeyer Jr., Textbook of Polymer Science, 3rd edn. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New
York 1984)
2. I.M. Campbell, Introduction to Synthetic Polymers (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994)
3. C. Bunn, Chem. Br. 11, 171–177 (1975)
4. D.H. Reneker, P.H. Geil, J. Appl. Phys. 31, 1916–1925 (1960)
5. N.G. Gaylord, H.F. Mark, Linear and Stereoregular Addition Polymers (Wiley-Interscience,
New York, 1959)
6. F.S. Bates, G.H. Fredrickson, Phys. Today 52(2), 32–38 (1999)
7. C.A. Dai, W.C. Yen, Y.H. Lee, C.C. Ho, W.F. Su, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129(36), 11036–11038
(2007)
8. Y.H. Lee, W.C. Yen, W.F. Su, C.A. Dai, Soft Matter 7, 10429 (2011)
References 59
9. B.D. Olsen, R.A. Segalman, Macromolecules 38, 10127–10137 (2005)

10. W.J. Jackson Jr., H.F. Kuhfuss, J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 14, 2043 (1976)
11. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry: An Introduction, 3rd edn. (Oxford University Press,
Oxford, 1999)
12. P.A. Tanguy, L. Choplin, P. Hurez, Polym. Eng. Sci. 28(8), 529–533 (1988)
13. O. Werzer, K. Matoy, P. Strohriegl, R. Resel, Thin Solid Films 515, 5601–5605 (2007)
14. C.C. Ho et al., Macromolecules 42(12), 4208–4219 (2009)
15. F. Bates, MRS Bulletin 30, 525 (2005)
Chapter 4
Chemical and Physical Properties
of Polymers
The chemical and physical properties of polymers are dependent on their chemical
and physical structures and molecular weight. Their relationship related to the
chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and optical properties [1–3] are dis-
cussed below.
4.1 Chemical Property of Polymer
The chemical properties of polymer discussed here include chemical resistance,

chemical permeation, and weather resistance. The major component of the poly-
mer is hydrocarbon which results in hydrophobic property in general. They are
usually resistant to polar solvent but will be attacked by nonpolar solvent. The
polarity of the polymer can be increased by incorporating polar group made from
atom containing unshared electrons such as oxygen or nitrogen. The polar poly-
mers will interact with polar solvents.
The general rule of ‘‘like dissolves like’’ can be applied in the chemical
resistance of polymers while they are in use. The extent of chemical resistance can
be classified into four categories: (1) none such as water toward polyethylene, (2)
swelling/softening such as water to Nylon and acetone to poly(vinyl chloride), (3)
dissolving such as poly(vinyl alcohol) in water, and (4) reacting such as nitric acid
reacting with cellulose to form nitrocellulose. As compared with metal, most of the
polymers are corrosion resistance because it does not react with water. They are
usually used as protective coating for metal. Polyester has good film formation
characteristic and is a good coating material. Although the ester group of polyester
undergoes hydrolysis, its hydrophilic properties can be modified by two approa-
ches: one to increase the steric hindrance about the ester groups, and the other to
reduce the number of ester groups per unit chain length. Both increase the
hydrophobic nature of the polyesters. For example, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane-1, 3-
diol 1 and the bisphenol A-propylene oxide derivative 2 are used for chemical
resistant polyester formulations commercially. They have bulky alkyl group
substituting for the hydrogen on ethylene glycol (OH–CH2CH2–OH).

62 4 Chemical and Physical Properties of Polymers
CH 3 CH 3
HOCH 2C CH CHCH3
CH 3 OH
1
CH3 CH3 CH3
HOCHCH 2 O C OCH 2CHOH
CH 3
2
The chemical susceptible nature of the end group of polyester, such as –OH or –
COOH can be reduced to less susceptible groups of urethane as shown in Fig. 4.1.
Fluorine has proved to be an element that imparts both water and solvent
resistance to a variety of polymers due to its low surface energy. The inorganic
polyphosphazene 3, which is very unstable in the presence of moisture, is rendered
highly moisture resistant by conversion to 4. The fluorine, in effect, provides a
water-resistant sheath to protect the phosphorus–nitrogen backbone. An ethylene-
chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer is marketed as a chemically resistant coating for
underground cables. Because of their chemical inertness, a variety of fluorinated
polymers including poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 5, poly(vinylidene fluoride) 6, and
copolymers such as poly[hexafluoro propylene-co-(vinylidene fluoride)] 7 have
been developed commercially with resistance to lubricating fluids for use as
gaskets, sealants, valves, and so on.
Cl OCH 2CF 3
N P N P
Cl OCH 2CF3
3 4
CF2CF2 CH2CF 2 CH2CF CH 2CF2
CF3
5 6 7
O H
(a)
OH + N C O O C N
O H
(b)
CO2H + N C O C N + CO2
Fig. 4.1 The end functional group (a) OH or (b) CO2H of polyester is reacted with isocyanate to
form hydrophobic end group
4.1 Chemical Property of Polymer 63
Crystalline polymers are more resistant than amorphous polymers toward sol-
vent resistance, because crystalline polymers are more densely and closely packed
that reduce the permeation of solvent. Crosslinked polymers are more resistant
toward chemicals than linear polymers due to less free volume available in this
type of polymer.
The trend of chemical permeates through polymers should be similar to the
extent of chemical resistance of polymer, ‘‘like is permeable to like’’. Thus, a
polymer with many polar groups is sensitive to a polar chemical, that same
polymer would be permeable to a polar gas or liquid. Conversely, a nonpolar
polymer would be a barrier to polar gases and liquids. For instance, polyethylene
has very low water permeation but relatively high oxygen permeation. Poly(vinyl
alcohol) has very low oxygen permeation but relatively high water permeation.
Amorphous polymer exhibits higher gas and liquid permeation than that of crys-
talline polymer due to the higher density of crystalline. Table 4.1 shows the barrier
properties of some commercially available plastics. The size of the gas or liquid
molecule is also extremely important. Small molecules can work their way through
the polymer much more easily than large molecules. For instance the permeation
of small molecule of helium can be 1016 greater than that of a large molecule of
pentane. Size effect can, therefore, outweigh all other permeation effects.
Polystyrene and poly(vinyl chloride) can be easily degraded by sunlight
because the radical segment can be easily formed from the resonance stabilization
of polystyrene or benzylic radical (Fig. 4.2a); stable chlorine radical (Fig. 4.2b)
upon photocleavage of the main polymer chain. The free radical scavenger such as
benzoquinone is usually added in polystyrene or poly(vinyl chloride) to inhibit the
generation of free radical (Fig. 4.2c) for outdoor usage. Widely used polyethylene
on the other hand is quite durable in sunlight that causes the environmental
Table 4.1 Barrier properties of common plastics [2]

Polymer Permeability of oxygen Permeability of water
at 25°C, 65 % RH (cc, micron/ at 40°C, 90 % RH (cc, micron/
100 cm2/24 h) 100 cm2/24 h)
Poly(vinyl alcohol) 0.19–0.70 5.4–20.9
Poly(vinylidene 0.58 0.4
chloride)
Poly(ethylene 10.1 4.7
terephthalate)
Nylon 8.1 39.5
Polyvinyl chloride 19.4–77.5 3.5–19.8
Polyethylene (Low 1627.5 3.9–5.8
density)
Polyethylene (High 581.3 1.2–1.6
density)
Polypropylene 581.3 2.7
Polystyrene 1356.2 27.1–38.8
Data obtained and changed to metri system from Ref. [2]
H H H H H
(a) UV
C C CH2 + C C C
n
H
(b)
H H H H H H H H
C C Cl + C C C C Cl + C C CH CH
n n n
H Cl H Cl H H Cl
H H H
C C CH CH CH2 + CH CH C H CH CH C
n Cl
H Cl Cl
(c)
Fig. 4.2 Sunlight degradation reactions toward a polystyrene, b poly(vinyl chloride), and c the
inhibition reaction of adding benzoquinone into the polymer
pollution problem. Sunlight degradable polyethylenes have been developed to

solve the waste problem. Polymers can be made to degrade photochemically by
incorporation of carbonyl groups that absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation to form
excited states energetic enough to undergo bond cleavage. Such processes
(referred to as Norrish type II reactions) occur as shown in Fig. 4.3.
Microorganisms degrade polymers by catalyzing hydrolysis and oxidation. By
combination of sunlight and microorganisms, the degradation of polymers will be
more effective. Controlled release polymers such as starch-graft-polymethacrylate
have been used to release chemicals such as medicines, herbicide, etc., by deg-
radation of the starch segment of polymers at controlled rate. Controlled release
polymers can also be made from chemical permeable polymeric membrane. The
active reagent is encapsulated within the polymeric membrane which can be
released gradually with time. Many biodegradable polymers are used for sutures,
drug delivery, and tissue engineering. They are synthesized either from a-hydroxy
acid or amino acid. The biodegradation occurs through the ester or amide linkage
of the polymer chain. Figure 4.4 shows the chemical reactions of their synthesis.
The detailed synthesis will be discussed in the subsequent chapters.
4.1 Chemical Property of Polymer 65
(a)
UV +
C C
R O R O
(b)
UV +
O O
Fig. 4.3 Incorporating UV sensitive carbonyl group into polymer chain for ease of photodeg-
radation of polymer [1]
(a) O O
OH CH2 C OH CH2 C O
n
poly(glycolic acid)
(b) O O
OH CH(CH3 ) C OH CH(CH3 ) C O
n
poly(lactic acid)
(c) O O
NH2 CH C OH NH CHR C
n
R polypeptide
(d) O
O
O
O (CH 2) 5 C
n
poly(ε-caprolactones)
(e)
O O O O
HO C (CH2) 8 C OH + HO C (CH 2) 14 C OH
O O O O
C (CH 2) 8 C O C (CH2 )14 C O
n
poly(SA-HAD anhydride)
Fig. 4.4 Representative biodegradable polymers prepared from their respective monomers
4.2 Mechanical Property of Polymer
Different chemical structures of polymers can be designed and synthesized to

produce polymers with different Tg , Tm , crosslinking, and crystallinity that will
result in different mechanical behaviors. The mechanical properties of polymer can
be expressed by the stress–strain plot shown in Fig. 4.5. The temperature effect is
not considered in this plot. The rigid polymer such as poly(methyl methacrylate)
can resist high stress with low strain and is useful for glass-like application due to
its high transparency. The fiber such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) can endure
higher stress than that of polystyrene with low strain so it is suitable for clothing
and rope. The flexible polymer such as polyethylene can be deformed without
break under high stress and is used for packaging films. The elastomer such as
polybutadiene rubber can be deformed easily under stress. Four important
Fig. 4.5 Stress–strain plots

for a typical elastomer,
flexible plastic, rigid plastic,
105
and fiber [3]
Fiber
104
Rigid plastic
-2
Stress, N cm
Flexible plastic
3
10
Elastomer
10 2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Strain, Δ L/L
4.2 Mechanical Property of Polymer 67
quantities characterize the stress–strain behavior of a polymer: (1) modulus

(E) that is the resistance to deformation as measured by the initial stress ðrÞ
divided by Dl/l (e) (Eq. 4.1), (2) ultimate strength or tensile strength that is the
stress required to rupture the sample, (3) ultimate elongation that is the extent of
elongation at the point where the sample ruptures, and (4) elastic elongation that is
the elasticity as measured by the extent of reversible elongation.
Dl
e¼ ð4:1aÞ
l
r
E¼ ð4:1bÞ
e
As the temperature is increased, the modulus will remain high until the glass
transition temperature is reached, at which point the modulus drops sharply
(Fig. 4.6). The modulus scale is logarithmic. Very high moduli of the order of
3 9 109 N/m2 are typical in the glassy state, but these decline dramatically once
the molecules gain more freedom of movement. The sample remains rubbery until
the temperature is sufficiently high to cause flow. A typical plastic would lie
somewhere along the glass plateau and an elastomer would lie along the rubbery
plateau at room temperature. Figure 4.7 illustrates the modulus-temperature
behavior for a variety of polymers. A thermoplastic amorphous polymer shows
expected molecular weight dependence in the flow region. The higher the
molecular weight is, the higher the temperature is necessary to overcome the
increased molecular entanglements. A crosslinked polymer, on the other hand,
does not flow. The higher the crosslinking density, the greater will be the modulus
(the less the elongation) in the rubbery state. Semicrystalline thermoplastic
polymers behave much like crosslinked polymers below the melting temperature,
Tm , because of the very strong intermolecular forces arising from close chain
packing. How sharp a break occurs at the glass transition temperature depends on
the degree of crystallinity. Above Tm , of course, the crystalline polymer will flow.
Fig. 4.6 Effect of

Glassy
temperature on tensile
modulus of an amorphous
thermoplastic; log E, modulus 9
scale; Tg, glass transitions
temperature [1]
(N/m )
2
log E
Rubbery
Flow
3 Tg
Temperature
Fig. 4.7 Effect of

temperature on tensile
modulus (log E scale) of 9 Crystalline
various polymers. Tm is
crystalline melting High
temperature [1] crosslinked
Lightly
crosslinked
log E (N/m2)
6
Low
molecular
weight
High
molecular
3
weight
Tm
Temperature
Table 4.2 gives some representative mechanical properties of common poly-

mers at 25°C. The wide range in properties reflects variations involved in physical
testing. In general, the polymer with large side group or containing aromatic
structure on the main chain exhibits higher mechanical properties as compared
with polyethylene. The crystallinity of the polymer also plays an important role in
the mechanical strength of polymer. The high density of polyethylene can have an
order increase in modulus as compared with low density of polyethylene
(1,070 vs. 172 MPa). The polycarbonate exhibits almost two orders of higher
impact strength as compared with other polymers (9.1 vs. 0.23 N/cm) because the
main chain contains bulky structure from the bisphenol A segment and –O–
C(=O)–O– segment. The bulky main chain provides the polymer with high free
volume between polymer chains that can withstand large impact. The airplane
window is usually made from polycarbonate to take the impact from the large
pressure difference in ascending and descending.
4.3 Thermal Property of Polymer
Most of polymers will flow upon heating at \200°C, so they are easily processed
into different goods for the needs of our daily life. When the polymeric good is in
use, we do not want its structure and dimension to be changed easily under heat.
Therefore, the selection of polymer with adequate thermal stability is extremely
important for actual application. When organic substances are heated to high
temperatures they have a tendency to form aromatic compounds. Thus, polymers
containing aromatic structure exhibit high temperature resistance. Thermally sta-
ble polymers should not decompose below 400°C and retain service properties
Table 4.2 Mechanical properties of representative polymers at 25°C [1]
Polymer Tensile properties at break Compressive strength (MPa) Flexural strength (MPa) Impact strength
(N/cm)
Strength (MPa) Modulus (MPa) Elongation (%)
4.3 Thermal Property of Polymer
Polyethylene, low density 8.3–31 172–283 100–650 – – No break

Polyethylene, high density 22–31 1,070–1,090 10–1,200 20–25 – 0.23–2.3
Polypropylene 31–41 1,170–1,720 100–600 38–55 41–55 0.23–0.57
Poly(vinyl chloride) 41–52 2,410–4,140 40–80 55–90 69–110 0.23–1.3
Polystyrene 36–52 2,280–3,280 1.2–2.5 83–90 69–101 0.20–0.26
Poly(methyl methacrylate) 48–76 2,240–3,240 2–10 72–124 72–131 0.17–0.34
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 14–34 400–552 200–400 12 – 1.7
Nylon 66 76–83 – 60–300 103 42–117 0.46–1.2
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) 48–72 2,760–4,140 50–300 76–103 96–124 0.14–0.37
Polycarbonate 66 2,380 110 86 93 9.1
69
near the decomposition temperature. They have high glass transition or crystalline
melting temperatures. Some representative thermally stable polymers, along with
their initial decomposition temperatures, are given in Table 4.3.
Thermal stability of polymer is primarily determined by the bond energy of
chemical bonds in the polymer chain. When the temperature increases to the point
where vibration energy causes bond rupture, the polymer degrades. Polymer with
cyclic repeating units can exhibit high thermal stability. The breaking of one bond
in a ring does not lead to a decrease in molecular weight, and the probability of
two bonds breaking within one ring is low. Thus, ladder or semi-ladder polymers
are expected to have higher thermal stabilities than open-chain polymers.
Table 4.4 shows the different bond strength in diatomic molecules. The bond
strength data will provide information to determine how easy the bond will break
at high temperature. The polymer contains C–O bond will be more thermal stable
than the polymer that contains C–C bond, because the C–O bond has a higher bond
strength (1,076 vs. 607 kJ mol-1).
Table 4.3 Representative thermally stable polymers [1]

Type Structure Decomposition
temperature (°C)
Poly(p-phenylene) 660
Polybenzimidazole 650
N N
N N
H H
Polyquinoxaline N N 640
R N N R
Polyoxazole 620
N N
O O
Polyimide O O 585
N N
O O
Polyphenylene 570
O
oxide
Polythiadiazole S 490
N N
Polyphenylene 490
S
sulfide
4.3 Thermal Property of Polymer 71
Table 4.4 Bond strength in Molecule KJ mol-1

diatomic molecules at 25°C
[4] C–I 209
C–H 338
C–D 341
C–Cl 397
C–Ti 423
C–Si 452
C–F 552
C–C 607
C–S 714
C–N 754
C–O 1,076
The stability of polymer in air is called thermo-oxidative stability. The presence

of oxygen has little effect on the initial decomposition temperature; hence bond
rupture is primarily a thermal rather than an oxidative process. Bond breaking is
one step process. The oxidation is two steps process including bond breaking and
bond formation. The rate of weight loss is usually higher in air than that in nitrogen
from the oxidative reaction.
Because synthetic polymers are used increasingly in electronics, construction,
and transportation, considerable effort has been expended to develop nonflam-
mable polymers, as well as to understand the mechanism of flame propagation and
flame retardation. Other concerns include the suppression of smoke and toxic gases
formed during combustion, and the development of nonflammable textile fibers.
Figure 4.8 depicts the combustion mechanism of polymer, as a closed cycle in
which the combustion of the diffusing gases generates heat that radiates back to
sustain the pyrolysis.
An external heat source increases the polymer temperature to a point where it
begins to decompose and release of combustible gases. The gases ignite, the
temperature increases until the release of combustibles is rapid enough for com-
bustion to be self sustaining so long as sufficient oxygen is available to support the
combustion process. From the mechanism of polymer burning and combustion,
approaches to promoting flame resistance in polymers focus on three strategies: (1)
Fig. 4.8 Schematic Diffusion

illustration of the mechanism zone
of polymer burning and
combustion; !, gas
diffusion; !, heat flux [1]
Solid Flame
polymer front
Pyrolysis
zone
retarding the combustion process in the vapor phase, (2) causing ‘‘char’’ formation
in the pyrolysis zone, and (3) adding materials that decompose either to give
nonflammable gases or endothermically to cool the pyrolysis zone. Combustion
involves free radical reactions from bond breaking process. Halogenated com-
pounds are particularly effective to reduce free radical concentration. The
hydrogen halide released from the combustion reacts with free radicals to form less
reactive halogen atoms. Thus, poly(vinyl chloride) is nonflammable but the gen-
eration of hydrogen halide is a toxic gas. The halogenated compounds are banned
in many countries especially in Europe. Antimony oxides are often used in
combination with halogen compounds because of a synergistic effect believed to
arise from the formation of antimony halides. Inorganic filler functions as barrier
and retards the combustion process. Nanocomposites made from the blend of nano
clay plate and polymer exhibit excellent nonflammability because the nanoplate
retards the air enter into polymer very effectively even at \1 wt.% nanoclay
loading.
The char acts as a barrier to inhibit gaseous products from diffusing to the flame
and to shield the polymer surface from the heat flux. Aromatic polymers have a
natural tendency toward char formation, so they are low flammability. Cross-
linking can increase char formation. For example, introduction of chloromethyl
groups onto polystyrene can promote crosslinking during pyrolysis. Phosphorus
compounds are effective in reducing the flammability of cellulose by promoting
dehydration to yield unsaturated compounds that subsequently polymerize to
crosslinked char. Hydrated alumina evolves water endothermically to cool the
pyrolysis zone. Sodium bicarbonate decomposes to form carbon dioxide that
dilutes the combustible gases. Toxic gases will generate from the burning of
polymers such as HCN from polyamides and polyurethanes, HCl from poly(vinyl
chloride) and CO from all kind of polymers. Smoke arises from the formation of
acetylene and benzene which condense to form soot particles. Thus, flame retarded
or nonflammable polymers should be used for construction application to reduce
the harmful gases formation in case of fire.
4.4 Electrical Property of Polymer
Most of polymers are insulators; because they are formed by covalent bonds
without moving freely electrons or ions. However, they will form conductive path
under the electrical stress. The tendency to form a conductive path under different
conditions for every polymer is different. The electrical properties of polymers can
be expressed by many properties including resistivity, dielectric strength, arc
resistance, dielectric constant, and dissipation factor [5]. The resistivity is the
resistance that polymer presents to the flow of electric charge. The dielectric
strength is the electric breakdown voltage divided by the thickness of the sample.
The arc resistance is the property that measures the ease of formation of a con-
ductive path along the surface of a sample rather than through the thickness of the
4.4 Electrical Property of Polymer 73
sample as in dielectric strength. The dielectric constant or permittivity is a measure

of how well the insulator will act as a dielectric in a capacitor. This constant is
defined as the capacitance of the sample in question compared with the capaci-
tance of a vacuum (by ratio). A high dielectric constant polymer indicates that the
use of thin dielectric sample in capacitors is permitted. The dissipation factor
measures the tendency of the polymer to dissipate internally generated thermal
energy (heat) resulting from an applied alternating electric field. This heating is
caused by the movement of the electrons and atoms within the polymer in response
to the changing polarity of an alternating electrical field. Table 4.5 summarizes the
electrical properties of common polymers. The electrical properties of nonpolar
polymers: polyethylene and poly(tetra fluoroethylene) (top two rows) as compared
with the properties of polar polymers indicate the nonpolar polymers exhibit
higher resistivity, higher dielectric strength, lower dielectric constant, and lower
dissipation factor. The polar group has a higher tendency to move electrons.
Therefore, nonpolar polymers will be the material of choice for electrical insu-
lation and capacitor. From molecular design point of view for a new polymer, one
will use less polar group to synthesize the polymer to have better insulative
properties.
The resistivity of common polymer is in the range of 1014 ohm.cm or higher
which is 20 orders higher than that of the metal (10-6 ohm cm). However, the
polymer contained delocalized p electrons can move electrons as does by the
metal. The discoveries of intrinsically conducting poly(sulfur nitride) –(S=N)n– in
1973 and I2 doped conducting polyacetylene –(C=C)n– in 1977 have stimulated
major research effort to elucidate the mechanism of conduction, to search other
conducting polymers for applications in battery, transistor, light emitting diode,
solar cell, and so on. Table 4.6 shows the comparison of the conductivities
between metals and doped conducting polymers. A comparable conductivity to
metal can be reached by the doped conducting polymers. Therefore, the con-
ducting polymers are also called synthetic metals.
Most of conjugated polymers are p-type semiconductors. After doping with
oxidants like I2, the electrons release. Although a complete understanding of the
Table 4.5 Electrical properties of common polymers [5]

Polymer Volume resistivity Dielectric strength Dielectric Dissipation
(Ohm cm) (V/micron) constant (60 Hz) factor (60 Hz)
Polyethylene 1017–1019 19 2.3 \0.0005
Poly(tetrafluoro 1018 40–80 2.1 0.0002
ethylene)
Polycarbonate 2.1 9 1016 16 3.2 0.0009
Poly(ethylene 1–4 9 1016 24 3.1–3.3 0.002
terephthalate)
Poly(methyl 2.0 9 1016 20 3.5–4.5 0.03–0.04
methacrylate)
Poly(vinyl 3 9 1014 1–20 6.0–8.0 0.08–0.11
chloride)
Table 4.6 Comparison of conductivities between metal and doped conjugated polymers
Material Structure Dopants Conductivity
(S/cm)
Coppera Cu None 5.8 9 105
Golda Au None 4.1 9 105
Polyacetylenea I2 1.0 9 103-
C C 1.5 9 105
n
Poly(sulfur nitride)a None 103–104
S N
n
Poly(p-phenylene)a ASF5 103
n
Poly(p-phenylenevinylene)b H2SO4 103
n
Polyanilineb HCl(1 M) 7.7
NH n
Polypyrroleb PF6 102–103
N n
H
b
Poly(3-hexylthiophene) P3HT C 6H 13 I2 104
S n
Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)c C C 10–103
PEDOT n
O O
S n SO 3 H
PSS
a
Adapted from Ref. [1]
b
c
conduction mechanism remains elusive, molecule containing an extended conju-

gate backbone structure is necessary to have delocalized p electrons upon doping
I2
C C C C C C C C C C
C C C C C C C C C C C C
doping
soliton
Fig. 4.9 Kivelson mechanism for charge transport involving mobile neutral solutions
4.4 Electrical Property of Polymer 75
for conductivity. Kivelson proposed [8] the following conducting mechanism for
charge transport involving mobile neutral solutions (Fig. 4.9).
The dopant can be either electron acceptors (AsF5 or X) or electron donors
(alkali metal, I2). The configurational structure and conformational structure of
polymer (morphology) also have great influence on the conductivity of polymer.
For instance, the conductivity of polyacetylene can reach as high as 1.5 9 105 S/
cm when the film is properly oriented. Similar to the semiconductor doping, the
conductivity of polymer varies with dopant concentration. Another mechanism
involving the formation of mobile charge, polaron, was proposed as shown in
Fig. 4.10. The removal of one electron from the polythiophene chain (la) produces
a mobile charge in the form of a radical cation (1b). The positive charge tends to
Fig. 4.10 Polaron mechanisms for charge transport in polythiophene [9]

induce local atomic displacements, leading to the polaronic behavior. Further

oxidation can either convert the polaron into a spinless bipolaron (1c) or introduce
another polaron (1d). In either case, introduction of each positive charge also
means introduction of a negatively charged counter ion (Ox-).
Poly (N-vinyl-carbazole) 8 is a p-type polymer; exhibits photoconducting
property which is used widely in photocoping industry. Polyisoindigo 9 is an n-type
conducting polymer which will accept electrons. Its conductivity is resulted from
the transport of electrons.
C8H 17
CH2CH C10H 21
N
O
N S
S
O
N n
8 C 8 H17
C10H 21
9
When the common polymers are used as insulator or capacitor, the polymers
function as passive material and does not transport charge carrier. On the other
hand, when the conducting polymers are used for transistor, battery, photovoltaic
device, etc., the polymers function as active material and are capable of trans-
porting charge carrier.
4.5 Optical Property of Polymer
The optical properties of polymers [10, 11] can also be passive or active depending
on their molecular structures. When the polymers used for transmission, reflection,
and so on, their optical properties does not change with any external force, they are
functioned as passive material. On the contrary, the optical properties of polymers
can be changed under external force such as light or electricity. We call them
active material. We will discuss passive optical properties of common polymers
first, then the active optical properties of special kind polymers.
Insulating polymers are colorless because they do not contain delocalized p
electrons. Amorphous polymers such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and poly(methyl
methacrylate) are colorless and transparent in visible light, because their refractive
indexes are close to air and does not contain easily delocalized p electrons. The
refractive index of polymer depends on their chemical structure and conformation. If
the polymer can be easily packed to dense structure through intermolecular force, a
high refractive index will be resulted. Therefore, the polymer containing aromatic
ring has flatter structure than that of aliphatic polymer with ease of packing con-
formation which can exhibit higher refractive index (Table 4.7). If there is large
difference in refractive index between polymer and air, then the light will reflect at
4.5 Optical Property of Polymer 77
the interface. Since crystalline polymers contain crystallite with dimension larger
than the wavelength of visible light, the polymer will reflect or scatter the light, and
so crystalline polyethylene is not transparent.
Conducting polymers which contain conjugated p electrons can absorb light in
visible range. The absorption wavelength depends on the ease of delocalization of
p electrons in polymers and the morphology of the polymer. As shown in
Fig. 4.11, the kmax of conducting polymer in film is usually longer than that in
solution. In addition to the intrinsic delocalization of p-electrons within the
molecule, the moving of p-electrons in the solid film also occurs through the
hopping between the molecules. As a result, the red shift of wavelength is
observed. Whole color spectrum has been discovered from different conducting
polymers. Low band gap polymers (LBP) (Eq \ 2.0 eV) are desired for solar cell
application because the polymer can absorb more solar energy. Table 4.8 sum-
marizes the latest development of low band gap polymers [12–17]. The strategy to
obtain low band gap conducting polymer is to have good donor–acceptor pair of
alternating copolymer. The copolymer (LBP 6) shows the best power conversion
efficiency among the six copolymers due to its strong acceptor moiety.
Polymers which exhibit nonlinear dipole moment response or polarization
under an applied electric field are called nonlinear optical polymers. They are
active function polymers. The nonlinear optical properties can be expressed either
by the change in dipole moment (microscope) as shown in the following equation:
l ¼ l0 þ aE þ bEE þ cEEE þ ð4:2Þ
where a is the linear polarizability, b is the second order hyperpolarizability and c
is the third order hyperpolarizability. The second term defines the linear optical
response of the dipole and gives rise to conventional reflection, absorption, and
transmission. The higher term describes changes in the dipole moment that are
nonlinear in the electric field. To sum up the dipole moment of Eq. 4.2 over entire
medium, the macroscopic dipole moment per unit volume or polarization is shown
as the following:
P ¼ P0 X ð1Þ E þ X ð2Þ EE þ X ð3Þ EEE þ ð4:3Þ
Table 4.7 Refractive index of common polymers [5]

Polymer Refractive index at 589 nm (nD)
Poly(phenylene oxide) 1.63
Polystyrene 1.60
Polyethylene(high density, d:0.95 g/cm3) 1.54
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) 1.53
Polyethylene(low density, d:0.93 g/cm3) 1.51
Polycarbonate 1.50
Poly(methyl methacrylate) 1.49
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 1.35
Chemical max max

Polymer Mw Source*
Structure (Film) (Solution in CB)
F8DPQ
468 457 50K INER
P3HT
560 460 60K NTU
APFO-3
557 535 10K NTU
P-CzAl-DTDPP-e
678 661 58K UCSB
PTC8BA
630 575 25K INER
*INER: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, NTU: National Taiwan University, UCSB: University of California at Santa Barbara
Fig. 4.11 Absorption characteristics of conducting polymers in solution and in film
where X ð1Þ is the linear electric susceptibility, X ð2Þ and X ð3Þ are the second and
third order electric susceptibility, respectively. X ð1Þ is directly related to the
complex dielectric constant e, by
e ¼ 1 þ 4pX ð1Þ ð4:4Þ

The complex refractive index can be determined approximately by the following:
n ¼ ðeÞ1=2 ð4:5Þ
The higher order term of Eq. 4.3 gives rise to optical harmonic generation effect
and electro-optic effects. Table 4.9 summarizes the relationships between chemi-
cal structure and microscopic nonlinearities. The more delocalized p electrons are
between donor groups (–NR2) and acceptor group (–NO2), the higher the nonlinear
Table 4.8 Low band gap conducting polymers

Polymer Band gap (eV) HOMO (eV) LUMO (eV) kmax (film) Reference
LBP1 1.4 5.4 N/A 800 [12]
LBP2 1.4 5.3 3.6 775 [13]
LBP3 1.9 5.5 3.6 576 [14]
LBP4 1.4 5.5 3.7 730 [15]
LBP5 1.3 5.2 3.6 722 [16]
LBP6 1.7 5.2 3.5 668 [17]
H25C12 C12H25
Si
* S S
* *
S S
*
N
N N
S N
S
LBP 1
LBP 2
C8H17 C8H17 S H25C 12 C 12H25
N N
N Si
* *
S S
LBP 3 * S S
*
N
N
O
LBP 4
C8H17
O
* S S
*
S
F
S O
C8H17
O C8H17
S S
* O
S
LBP 6
N
N
S
O
*
LBP 5
susceptibility is. The relationship between the electric field and oscillation fre-
quency for the polarizability of polymer can be expressed by Eq. 4.6.
E ¼ Rx Eox eixt ð4:6Þ

where Eox is the amplitude of the electric field, x is its oscillation frequency. X ð1Þ
term will always oscillate at frequency x of the driving field, giving rise to a
polarization and electric field that radiate at x. The higher order terms can mix the
various frequency component of E as shown in Eq. 4.7.
E ¼ E01 eix1 t þ E02 eix2 t þ complexconjugate ð4:7Þ

ð2Þ
X term will produce a polarization and resulting electric field that oscillate at
2x1 , 2x2 , x1 -x2 , x1 þ x2 , and x0 . 2x terms give rise to optical second har-
monic generation (SHG). The electro-optic effect of polymer can be expressed by
Eq. 4.8.
De ¼ 4pX 2 E or Dð1=eÞ ¼ rE ð4:8Þ

where r is electro-optic coefficient.
In order to have good electro-optic effect, the material has to be (1) uniform
birefringence, (2) minimized scattering losses, (3) transparency, (4) thermal and
dimensional stability, and (5) good processability. Figure 4.12 illustrates the
schematic of different electro-optic (EO) devices can be fabricated from nonlinear
Table 4.9 Values of b computed from the two-level model compared with experimentally
obtained values [10]
Molecule btwo level (10-30 esu) bexp (10-30 esu)
19.6 16.2–34.5
H2N NO2
H2N NO2 10.9 10.2
NO2 4 6
H2N
227 225–295
H2N
NO2
H3C 383 450

N
NO2
H3C
H3C 217 180–260
N
NO 2
H3 C
H3C 715 470–790
N
H3C
NO2
Fig. 4.12 Schematic

illustration of different
electro-optic (EO) devices
(a) optical switch,
(b) waveguide and (c) Mac-
Zehnder interferometer [11]
Fig. 4.13 Comparison of Organic X(2) (esu) Inorganic

X(2) values between organic
materials and inorganic
10-9
materials [10]
KDP
Poled 10-8
LiNbO3 (SHG)
polymers
KTP
10-7
Ga As
LiNbO3 (Electrooptic)
Organic
crystals 10-6
LB films
10-5
optical polymers [11]. In Fig. 4.12a, an optical switch, a voltage is applied to the
EO medium phase which shifts one optical field component with respect to the
other, allowing the light to pass through the output polarizer, which is at right
angles to the input polarization. The same principle is used in the optical wave-
guide (Fig. 4.12b), where much lower voltages may be used to achieve high fields
because of small separation between the electrodes. In the Mach–Zehnder
Fig. 4.14 Schematic P = X(1) E

representation of various
nonlinear optical processes Second
2
[11] + X(2) EE Harmonic
Generation
Electro-Optics
Third
3
+ X(3) EEE Harmonic
Generation
Optical
Kerr Effect
E1 E2 Phase
Conjugation
E3 E4~ E3*
interferometer (Fig. 4.12c), guided light is split into two branches. The EO-
induced phase shift in the lower arm modulates the output light intensity as the
fields from both branches recombine and interfere. Figure 4.13 shows the com-
parison of nonlinear susceptibility between organic material and inorganic material
[10]. The organic single crystal can exhibit higher nonlinear susceptibility than
that of inorganic material. However, the long-term stability of organic crystal is
still an issue for practical application. Figure 4.14 shows various nonlinear optical
processes that can provide many applications in optical devices [11]. Linear
optical or X ð1Þ processes involve reflection, transmission, and absorption of light.
X ð2Þ processes include frequency doubling (optical second harmonic generation),
and the linear electro-optic (Pockels) effect in which the applied field (E0) changes
the index of refraction of the material, for example, to induce birefringence. X ð3Þ
processes include tripling of the incident optical frequency (third harmonic gen-
eration); the optical Kerr effect, in which the index of refraction is altered by
control light beam; and phase conjugation, which creates a phase conjugate of E3
that cancels accumulated phase distortions after retracing the path of E3.
The polarizable chromophores may be incorporated into the polymer as low-
molecular weight compounds dissolved in the polymer matrix (host–guest sys-
tems) or, more commonly, they are designed into the polymer backbone or into a
side chain. Crosslinking may also be employed to stabilize the system. A large
number of nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers have been reported; examples having
NLO chromophores in the backbone and side chain are the polyester 9 and the
polyimide 10, respectively [1]. They usually have the structures of electron
withdrawing and donating groups in the polymers to exhibit polar and non-central
symmetrical characteristics.
O
CH3CH2
C O
CH2CH2N CH C
CN
9
O F3C CF3 O
N N
N
O O
N
N
10
NO 2
4.6 Processability of Polymer
As compared with metal or ceramics, polymer can be processed at much lower

temperature ([1000 vs. \300°C) because polymers have low Tg . However, fully
aromatic polymers exhibit high glass transition temperatures, high melt viscosities,
and low solubility from their aromatic rigid backbone structure. They are usually
high cost due to the high cost of monomer, difficult to synthesize and process.
They are only used mostly in high demanding aerospace industries. Approaches
are taken to improve the processability of fully aromatic polymer through chemical
structure modification.
One approach is to incorporate flexible groups such as long chain alkyl, ether,
or sulfone into the backbone of the polymer but the thermal stability usually suffers
from the modification. Another approach is to introduce cyclic aromatic groups
that lie perpendicular to the planar aromatic backbone to form so-called cardo
polymers [1], usually exhibit improved solubility with no sacrifice of thermal
stability. For example, polybenzimidazole 11 has been modified into cardo poly-
mer 12 for ease of processing.
N N
Ar N N Ar
13
N N
Δ
Ar Ar
N N
14
Ar= O
Fig. 4.15 Increasing Tg of a polyquinoxaline by intramolecular cycloaddition [1]
N N
N N
H H
11
N N
N N
H H
12
Incorporating reactive groups into the polymer backbone that undergo intra-
molecular cycloaddition on heating is another way to improve processability. The
reactive oligomer or polymer is fluid during the processing, but it becomes rigid
through ring formation with increased glass transition temperature. An example,
shown in Fig. 4.15, is the conversion of the aromatic polyquinoxaline 13 into 14
via cycloaddition reactions of the phenylethynyl substituents, resulting in a 50°C
increase in the glass transition temperature.
The end-capped oligomers melt at relatively low temperatures and are soluble
in a variety of solvents. On heating they are converted to thermally stable network
4.6 Processability of Polymer 85
Table 4.10 Some reactive end groups for converting oligomers to network polymers [1]
Type Structure
Cyanate O C N
Ethynyl C CH
Maleimide O
O
Nadimide O
O
Phenyl ethynyl
C C
polymers. End groups that are found in commercially important reactive oligomers
especially in aerospace industry are given in Table 4.10. The cyanate terminated
compound or oligomer is also useful in high temperature resistant printed wiring
board such as cyanate ester. The cyanate esters are generally based on a bisphenol
or novolac derivative, in which the hydrogen atom of the phenolic OH group is
substituted by a cyanide group. It has been used to react with epoxy resin to form
thermally stable heterocyclic structure as shown in Fig. 4.16 [18].
Virtually every polymer in commercial use contains additives, usually a com-
bination of various additives. The purpose of additives is twofold: (1) to alter the
properties of the polymer and (2) to enhance processability. Property modifiers are
ranged from pigments and odorants for esthetic reasons to plasticizers for modi-
fying mechanical properties. Processing modifiers vary from lubricants to prevent
sticking to fabrication machinery, to compounds that alter the chemical structure,
such as crosslinking agents and plasticizers. The crosslinking agent will increase
the stiffness and thermal stability of the polymer. The plasticizer, on the other hand
will increase the flexibility of the polymer and lower the Tg of polymer for
increasing the elongation and ease of processing of polymer respectively. Addi-
tives may be completely miscible or, as is the case with inorganic reinforcing
agents, completely immiscible. Plasticizers are the most widely used additives in
the plastic industry, with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate 15 being the cheapest ‘‘general-
purpose’’ plasticizer.
Fig. 4.16 Reactions of cyanate esters with epoxy resin [18]
CH2CH3
CO 2 CH2 CHCH 2CH 2CH2 CH3
CO 2 CH2 CHCH 2CH 2CH2 CH3
CH2CH3
15
4.7 Problems
1. Please define clearly the following terms related to the properties of polymers
and provide an example of each for poor property and good property of each
term. Provide explanation for your answer. (a) chemical resistance, (b)
chemical permeation, (c) weather resistance, (d) modulus, (e) tensile strength,
(f) elongation, (g) thermal stability, (h) flammability, (i) resistivity, (j)
dielectric strength, (k) dielectric constant, (l) dissipation factor, (m) trans-
mission, (n) reflection, (o) absorption, (p) nonlinear optical property.
4.7 Problems 87
2. Please compare the differences between amorphous polymer and crystalline

polymer in terms of their chemical resistance, mechanical properties, thermal
properties, electrical properties, optical properties, and processability.
3. Explain how the molecular weight of polymer affects its chemical and
physical properties. Compare among them from low molecular weight
([10,000), medium molecular weight ([50,000), and high molecular weight
([100,000).
4. Discuss the physical factors in polymer that affect its permeability.
5. Explain how ultraviolet light degrades toward polymer much easier than to
ceramic or metal. Show your explanation by reaction mechanism.
6. Polyvinyl alcohol is significantly less flammable than the isomeric polyoxy-
ethylene, why?
7. Explain, in terms of structure and morphology, the rationale behind the three
strategies described for improving processability of thermally stable polymers:
(a) cardo polymers, (b) intramolecular cyclization, (c) reactive oligomers.
8. Describe the key features of a polymer that would make it become electrically
conductive. Explain the molecular weight effect on the conductivity of con-
ducting polymer.
9. The major issues of conducting polymers are environmentally unstable and
difficult to process. Please explain why. Compare the environmental stability
and ease of process between polythiophene and poly (3-hexyl thiophene).
Which polymer is more conducting if we assume they have similar molecular
weight?
10. Why does the nonlinear optical polymer need to contain conjugate molecular
structure as the conducting polymer has? Are these two properties inter-
changeable? Please use an example to explain.
11. In elastomer synthesis, 1, 4-hexadiene may be used to impart the unsaturation
needed for crosslinking. What advantage might this compound offer over
butadiene or isoprene?
12. Explain why plasticizers increase flexibility and elongation in polymers. What
is the relationship between plasticizers and the glass transition temperature?
References
1. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford University Press, New York, 1999)
2. A.B. Strong, Plastics, Materials and Processing, 2nd edn. (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
River, 2000)
3. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 4th edn. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 2004)
4. D.R. Lide (ed.), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 76th edn. (CRC Press, Boca Raton,
1995)
5. J.F. Shackelford, W. Alexander, Material Science and Engineering Handbook, 3rd edn.
(CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2001)
6. T.A. Skotheim, R.L. Elsenbaumber, J.R. Reynolds, Handbook of Conducting Polymers

(Marcel Dekker, New York, Inc. 1998)
7. CLEVIOS Data Sheet
8. S. Kivelson, Phys. Rev. B25, 3798 (1982)
9. H.A.M. van Mullekom, J.A.J.M. Vekemans, E.E. Havinga, E.W. Meijer, Mater. Sci. Eng. 32,
1–40 (2001)
10. M.J. Bowden, S.R. Turner (eds.), in Electronic and Photonic Applications of Polymers, ed. by
M.J. Bowden, S.R. Turner. ACS Advances in Chemistry Series, vol 218 (American Chemical
Society, Washington, 1988)
11. C.P. Wong (ed.), Polymer for Electronic and Photonic Applications (Academic Press, Inc.,
Boston, 1993)
12. R.C. Coffin, J. Peet, J. Rogers, G.C. Bazan, Nat. Chem. 1, 657–661 (2009)
13. D. Mühlbacher, M. Scharber, M. Morana, Z. Zhu, D. Waller, R. Gaudiana, C. Brabec, Adv.
Mater. 18, 2884–2889 (2006)
14. N. Blouin, A. Michaud, M. Leclerc, Adv. Mater. 19, 2295–2300 (2007)
15. C.V. Hoven, X.D. Dang, R.C. Coffin, J. Peet, T.Q. Nguyen, G.C. Bazan, Adv. Mater. 22,
E63–E66 (2010)
16. L. Huo, J. Hou, H.Y. Chen, S. Zhang, Y. Jiang, T.L. Chen, Y. Yang, Macromolecules 42(17),
6564–6571 (2009)
17. H.Y. Chen, J. Hou, S. Zhang, Y. Liang, G. Yang, Y. Yang, L. Yu, Y. Wu, G. Li, Nat.
Photonics, 3649–653 (2009)
18. W.F. Su, C.M. Chuang, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 85(11), 2419–2422 (2002)
Chapter 5
Characterization of Polymer
The characterization of polymer is a vital part of polymer technology. Once the

polymers are designed and synthesized, we need to characterize them chemically
to confirm their chemical structures and to evaluate their properties for physical
behaviors and actual usages [1].
5.1 Instruments and Testing Methods for Polymer

Characterization
There are numerous instruments available for polymer characterization. For the
chemical structure characterization of polymers, infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman
spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), nuclear magnetic reso-
nance spectroscopy (NMR), and electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) are
commonly used. To study the structure and morphology of polymers, X-ray dif-
fraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used in general. The
thermal properties of polymers are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry
(DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermal mechanical analyzer (TMA),
and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The mechanical properties of polymers are
studied by Instron. We will discuss the principle of each instrument briefly, and then
show examples how the polymers are being characterized by different instrument.
In industry, there are many standard testing methods being developed to
characterize polymers by international organization and different countries. The
international standard organization (ISO) standard is an international effort to
develop standard test. In the USA, there is the American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) to set up the standard. The British Standards Institute (BSI)
establishes British’s standards. In Taiwan, the standards of testing methods (CNS)
follow other countries’ standards. Please refer to the tests whenever you are in
need. They are available by purchasing them through each standard organization.
You can also find them in most of libraries and Taiwan Standard Bureau. We will
not discuss them here.

90 5 Characterization of Polymer
5.2 Characterization of Chemical Structures of Polymers
5.2.1 Chemical Reaction Method
To determine the chemical structure of polymers through chemical reaction

method is a low cost analysis but needs large sample size ([1 gram). For example,
the location of head to head structure (1, 2-diol) on polyvinyl alcohol can be
determined by the following reaction.
OH OH
HIO4 or Pb(OAc)4
C C C O + O C
The structures of polydienes can be determined via ozonolysis. Ozonolysis of

natural rubber, for example, followed by hydrolysis of the intermediate ozonide
under reductive conditions, yields 4-ketopentanal, which establishes the structure
as the head-to-tail 1, 4-addition polymer of 2-methyl-1, 3-butadiene (isoprene).
O
1. O3
H O
2. H2O
The amount of double bonds in the polymer chain can be determined by the
bleaching of known amount of iodine solution through the addition of reaction of
iodine to the double bonds.
5.2.2 Infrared Spectroscopy
The infrared spectra of polymers are resulted from the different IR absorption of
chemical bonds (vibrational transition) of polymers upon irradiation of IR [1]. The
amount of vibrational transition can be expressed by
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
1 k
m¼ ð5:1Þ
2pC Mx My =ðMx þ My Þ
where m is stretching frequency in cm-1, Mx , My the masses of two atoms involved

in stretching, (grams), C is the velocity of light, 2.998 9 1010 cm/s, and k is force
constant, dynes/cm; single bond (5 9 105 dynes/cm), double bond (10 9 105
dynes/cm), and triple bond (15 9 105 dynes/cm). Infrared frequency is usually
expressed in units of wavenumber, defined as the number of waves per centimeter.
Ordinary instruments scan the range of about 700–5,000 cm-1. This frequency
range corresponds to energies of about 2–12 kcal/mol. This amount of energy is
sufficient to affect bond vibrations (motions such as bond stretching or bond
bending) but is appreciably less than would be needed to break bonds. These
motions are illustrated in Fig. 5.1.
5.2 Characterization of Chemical Structures of Polymers 91
Symmetric Asymmetric
STRETCHING VIBRATIONS
+ _
+ +
Scissoring Rocking Wagging Twisting

IN-PLANE BENDING VIBRATIONS OUT-OF-PLANE BENDING VIBRATIONS
Fig. 5.1 Vibrations of a group of atoms (+ and - signify vibrations perpendicular to the plane
of the paper) [2]
Particular types of bonds of organic molecule usually stretch within certain

rather narrow frequency ranges which are very useful to determine the chemical
structure of molecule. Table 5.1 gives the ranges of stretching frequencies for
some bonds commonly found in organic molecules.
The chemical structures of unknown polymers can be recognized mostly
through their specific IR absorption frequency. However, their exact chemical
structures cannot deduce from IR spectra only, unless they can be compared with
known data or from the IR spectra of their monomers. Figure 5.2 shows the
difference of IR spectra between polyimide and its chemical repeating unit model
compound is at the p-substituting linkage between the aromatic structure of
monomers with C–H bending at 650–900 cm-1.
Table 5.1 Infrared stretching frequencies of some typical bonds [2]

Bond type Class compound Frequency range (cm-1)
Single bonds to hydrogen alkanes 2,850–3,000
alkenes and aromatic 3,030–3,140
alkynes 3,300
alcohols and phenols 3,500–3,700 (free)
3,200–3,500 (hydrogen-bonded)
carboxylic acids 2,500–3,000
amines 3,200–3,600
thiols 2,550–2,600
Double bonds alkenes 1,600–1,680
imines, oximes 1,500–1,650
aldehydes, ketones, esters, acids 1,650–1,780
Triple bonds alkynes 2,100–2,260
nitriles 2,200–2,400
Subsitute aromatics ortho 750
para 830
Halide C–F 2,962–2,853
C–Cl 800–600
C–Br 600–500
Micrometers
2.5 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10 12 14 16
% Transmission
p-sub.
aromatic
C-C str.
C = O str. C-N str. C-C str.
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600
Wavenumber (cm -1)
Fig. 5.2 Infrared spectrum (KBr pellets) of polyimide (—) and model compound (- - - -) [3]
Fig. 5.3 Fourier transform

infrared spectra of isotactic
polystyrene in the
640–840 cm-1 region: (A) 763 699
semicrystalline; (B)
702
amorphous; and (C) the
difference spectrum obtained
by subtracting B from A [3]
A
749
B
784
C
800 700
The IR of isotactic polystyrene can be obtained by subtracting the spectrum of

amorphous polystyrene from the spectrum of semicrystalline polystyrene as shown
in Fig. 5.3. A well-defined sharp absorption is revealed which indicates the benzene
rings are ‘‘frozen’’ into relatively specific conformations in the crystalline state.
5.2.3 Raman Spectroscopy
Like IR spectroscopy, Raman derives from vibrational transitions in molecules.

When visible light impinges on molecules, the light is scattered. The frequency of
the scattered light varies according to the vibrational modes of the scattering
molecules. This referred to as the Raman effect. Whereas IR absorption spectra are
indicative of unsymmetric bond stretching and bending, the Raman effect responds
to the symmetric vibrational modes. Polar groups of a molecule give the most
Fig. 5.4 Comparison between IR and Raman of trans-poly pentenamer
intense IR signals whereas nonpolar ones give rise to most intense Raman signals.
Thus IR and Raman spectroscopy are complementary. Paired IR and Raman
spectra of the same compound have a synergistic effect in promoting under-
standing of structural information [4].
Raman is most responsive to symmetrical stretching in C–C bonds. It is useful
to study the conformational structure of polymer chains by comparing spectra with
those of long-chain‘‘model’’ alkanes. The stereoisomers of polymer is obtained by
rotation around single bonds, so the Raman can be used to study the cis–trans
isomerism in elastomers, sulfur crosslinks in rubber, and polymer deformations.
Because Raman scattering by water is negligible compared with water’s intense IR
absorption, Raman is particularly useful in conformational studies of biopolymers
in aqueous solution. Figure 5.4 shows the comparison between IR and Raman of
trans-poly pentenamer. The Raman shows more feature than that of IR due to the
symmetrical structure of alkane (–C–C– at 2,900 cm-1) and alkene (–C=C– at
3,000 cm-1). The comparison of IR and Raman spectrum of poly(3-hexyl thio-
phene) (P3HT) is shown in Fig. 5.5. The symmetrical C–C stretching is dominated
in the Raman spectrum while the C–H stretching is dominated in the IR spectrum.
The P3HT is synthesized by Grignard metathesis reaction as shown in Fig. 5.6.
The yield can be higher than 70 %. The principle of metathesis synthesis will be
discussed in Sect. 9.4.
5.2.4 UV-Visible Spectroscopy
Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy is used to detect the chromophores of

matter qualitatively and quantitatively when the matter undergoes n ! p and
p ! p transition upon light irradiation. Because of its sensitivity (\10-5 molar),
UV–Vis spectroscopy has been particularly useful in identifying the impurities in
polymers such as residual monomer, inhibitors, antioxidant, and so on. Styrene
monomer in polystyrene, for example, may be determined quantitatively using
Fig. 5.5 IR spectrum (top)

and Raman spectrum
(bottom) of P3HT
v (C=C)
10000
8000
Raman intensity
6000
4000
2000
(C-S-C)
0
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Raman shift (cm-2)
C 6 H13
C 6 H13 MgCl C 6 H13
Ni(dppp)Cl 2
Br S Br Br S M gBr 30 min at 40 o C.
THF/ reflux 1.5hr S
n
Fig. 5.6 Synthesis of P3HT using Grignard metathesis reaction
styrene’s kmax at 292 nm. After the styrene is polymerized, the 292 nm peak of
styrene disappears and shows the kmax at 203 and 254 nm of benzene for polymer.
Figure 5.7 shows a typical ultraviolet absorption spectrum of organic com-
pound. Unlike infrared spectra, UV–Vis spectra are quite broad and generally show
only a small number of peaks. The peaks are reported as the wavelengths where
maxima occur. The conjugated, unsaturated ketone whose spectrum is shown in
Fig. 5.7 has an intense absorption at kmax = 232 nm and a much weaker
absorption at kmax = 330 nm. The band at shorter wavelength corresponds to a p
Fig. 5.7 The absorption max =232nm

CH3 O
spectrum of 4-methyl-3-
C CH C CH3
penten-2-one [5] 2.0
CH3
Absorbance
1.0
max =330nm
0.0
200 250 300 350
Wavelength (nm)
electron transition, whereas the longer wavelength, weaker intensity band corre-
sponds to a transition of the nonbonding electrons on the carbonyl oxygen atom.
The intensity of an absorption band can be expressed quantitatively. Band
intensity depends on the particular molecular structure and also on the number of
absorbing molecules in the light path. Absorbance, which is the log of the ratio of
light intensities entering and leaving the sample, is given by Beer’s law as below
A ¼ cl ð5:2Þ
where is the molar absorptivity (sometimes called the extinction coefficient), c is the
concentration of the solution in moles per liter, and l is the length in centimeters of
the sample through which the light passes. The value for any peak in the spectrum
of a compound is a constant characteristic of that particular molecular structure. For
example, the values of for the peaks in the spectrum of the unsaturated ketone
shown in Fig. 5.7 are kmax = 232 nm ( = 12,600) and kmax = 330 nm ( = 78).
UV–Vis spectra are most commonly used to detect conjugation. In general,
molecules with no double bonds or with only one double bond do not absorb in the
region of UV to visible (200–800 nm). Conjugated systems do absorb there,
however, and the greater the conjugation, the longer the wavelength of maximum
absorption, as seen in Fig. 5.8. Therefore, most of the conjugated polymers exhibit
absorption in the visible range (see Fig. 4.11).
5.2.5 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

(NMR-1H, 13C)
The proton environment in the molecule can be determined by the nuclear mag-
netic resonance spectroscopy. Each proton in the molecule has its unique chemical
shift d. It is usually expressed in parts per million (ppm) by frequency. It is
calculated based on the following equation:
Dt 106
d¼ ð5:3Þ
oscillator frequency ðcps)
H 2C C C CH2 H2 C C C C C CH2
H H H H H H
max = 220 nm max = 257 nm

( = 20,900) ( = 35,000)
H2 C C C C C C C CH 2
H H H H H H
max = 287 nm
( = 52,000)
max = 255 nm max = 314 nm max = 380 nm

( = 215) ( = 289) ( =9,000)
max = 480 nm: a yellow compound

( = 12,500)
Fig. 5.8 Effect of conjugation length on the kmax and of organic compounds
where Dt is the difference in absorption frequencies of the sample and the reference
in cps, and oscillator frequency is characteristic of the instrument. Chemical
structures can be identified from a combination of chemical shift data and spin–spin
splitting; derived from proton–proton interaction. Thus, the NMR is useful to study
polymer stereochemistry and monomer sequencing. The chemical shifts of 1H nuclei
in various chemical environments have been determined by measuring the 1H NMR
spectra of a large number of compounds with known, relatively simple structures.
Table 5.2 gives the chemical shifts for several common types of 1H nuclei.
At present, very high resolution NMR instruments are available for polymer
scientists to gain insights of polymer stereochemistry and monomer sequencing.
For example, pure isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) can have the possible
arrangements for each repeat unit as shown in Fig. 5.9. By using 500-MHz NMR,
a sample of poly(methyl methacrylate) has revealed to be predominantly (95 %)
isotactic isomer as shown in Fig. 5.10.
The methyl protons of the sample are resolved to the pentad (mmmm) level and
the methylene protons to the hexad (mmmmm) level. The notations of e and t refer to
the erythro and threo placement, respectively. Of the methylene protons with respect
to the ester groups, the erythro resonance being further downfield because of the
Table 5.2 Typical 1H chemical shifts (relative to tetramethylsilane) [5]

Type δ (ppm) δ (ppm)
C CH 3 0.85-0.95 CH 2 F 4.3-4.4
C CH 2 C 1.20-1.35 CH 2 Br 3.4-3.6
CH 2 l 3.1-3.3
C
1.40-1.65 CH 2 C 4.6-5.0
C CH C
CH 3 C C 1.6-1.9 CH C 5.2-5.7
CH 3 Ar 2.2-2.5 Ar H 6.6-8.0
CH 3 C O
2.1-2.6 C C H 2.4-2.7
O
CH 3 N 2.1-3.0 9.5-9.7
C H
O
CH 3 O 3.5-3.8 10-13
C OH
CH 2 Cl 3.6-3.8 R OH 0.5-5.5
CHCl 2 5.8-5.9 Ar OH 4-8
CO2CH3
CH3 CH3 CO2CH3 CH3 CO2CH3
C C C
C C C
H H H HH H
e t e t e t
CH3 CO2CH3 CO2CH3

CH3 CH3 CO2CH3 CO2CH3 CH3
C C C C
CH2
CH2
meso (m) dyad racemtc (r) dyad
Fig. 5.9 Possible repeating unit arrangements of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)
deshielding influence of the ester group. At the lowest sensitivity (1X) the spectrum
resembles that of almost purely isotactic (all m) polymer with the exception of the
small mmrm pentad at about 1.16 ppm. At higher gain (5 and 100X), deviations from
Fig. 5.10 500-MHz 1H

nuclear magnetic resonance
spectrum of isotactic
100x
poly(methyl methacrylate).
For the 1X spectrum, the left
doublet peak is e-mmmmm,
the middle doublet peak is t-
mmmmm, the right large 5x
singlet peak is mmmm, the
right small singlet peak is
mmrm [3]
1x
purely isotactic are clearly observed. On the other hand, the syndiotactic placement
exhibits predominantly racemic (r) sequences at about 1.05 ppm for methyl and,
because both methylene protons lie in identical magnetic environments, one singlet
methylene resonance at 1.83 ppm. The methoxyl protons absorb at 3.42 ppm.
Atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) would display a broad range of sequences in its
NMR spectrum, in this sample, the largest peaks of impurity correspond to those of
syndiotactic placement.
Figure 5.11 shows high-resolution proton-decoupled 13C spectra of polypro-
pylene of varying tacticity. Fine structure in the spectra may again be correlated
with pentad sequences.
The combination of cross-polarization and magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) along
with proton decoupling yields spectra of solids approaching the resolution of those
obtained with solutions. As an example, Fig. 5.12 shows the solid-state 13C NMR
spectrum of polycarbonate with and without cross-polarization magic angle spinning,
in the spectral region encompassing the carbonyl and ring carbon resonances.
5.2.6 Electron Spin Resonance
Electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR) works on the same principle as NMR

except that microwave rather than radiowave frequencies are employed, and spin
transitions of unpaired electrons rather than nuclei recorded. The NMR spectra
record the absorption directly, but ESR spectrometers plot the first derivative of
the absorption curve. The ESR in polymer chemistry is primarily for studying free
radical process such as polymerization, degradation, and oxidation. For example,
when poly (vinyl chloride) is irradiated with ultraviolet light, the formation of
radical can be detected by ESR. The chemical reaction is shown below and its
corresponding ESR spectrum is shown in Fig. 5.13.
Fig. 5.11 24-MHz 13C

CH 2
nuclear magnetic resonance
spectra of polypropylene CH CH 3
(3.5 % weight/volume in 1, 2,
4-trichlorobenzene at 135 °C)
ISOTACTIC
[3]
ATACTIC
SYNDIOTACTIC
40 30 20
ppm vs TMS
Fig. 5.12 Solid-state proton CH3 O

decoupled 13C nuclear
magnetic resonance spectra C OCO
of polycarbonate (A) with
CH3
and (B) without cross-
polarization magic angle
spinning. Peak assignment:
100 ppm
(a) carbonyl carbon,
(b) substituted ring carbons,
and (c) unsubstituted ring
carbons [3] B
(a) (b) (c)
UV
CH2 CH CH2 CH + Cl
Cl
The six-line signals arise from the interaction of unpaired electron with five
surrounding protons (4b and 1a). This phenomenon is called hyperfine splitting.
Fig. 5.13 Electron spin

H
resonance spectrum inline of
UV-irradiated poly(vinyl CH2CCH2
chloride) at -196 °C [3]
20G
Information on the radical structure can be obtained by the line shape, intensity,
position, and hyperfine splitting of the ESR spectrum.
5.3 Characterization of Morphology and Physical

Structure of Polymer
Polymer morphology and structure may be elucidated from usual examination and
mathematical interpretation of the pattern and intensity of diffracted and scattered
X-ray, electron and neutron radiations on polymer sample. The results can provide
the information of degree of crystallinity, dimension of crystalline domains, bond
distance and angles, and type of conformation in the crystalline regions. Precau-
tions need to be taken for these experiments especially involving electrons,
because electrons may cause free radical reactions (chain scission, cross-linking)
in the samples. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) resolution can have up
to several angstroms. Neutron scattering can study chain folding in crystalline
lamellae. The AFM analyzes the surface profile of polymer thin film at nanoscale
without using high vacuum and electron source.
5.3.1 Transmission Electron Microscopy
TEM is a very powerful tool to study the morphology of polymer. Here, we use the
TEM study of rod-coil block copolymer of poly(diethylhexyloxy-p-phenylene
vinylene)-b-poly (methyl methacrylate) (DEHPPV-b-PMMA) as an example.
Figure 5.14 shows TEM images of the copolymer at various compositions. The last
number in the copolymer denotations is the % volume fraction of coil PMMA [6].
The DEHPPV is a rigid rod segment and PMMA is a flexible coil segment. Due to
the difference in miscibility of each segment, the copolymer is self assembled into
highly ordered structure. The polymers stained with RuO4 demonstrate light
PMMA-rich nanodomains and dark DEH-PPV-rich nanodomains. Lamellae are
continuous and very long. The orientation of lamellae is correlated across several
5.3 Characterization of Morphology and Physical Structure of Polymer 101
Fig. 5.14 TEM images of PPV-b-PMMA block copolymers; a PPV10-PMMA13-30, b PPV10-

PMMA36-43, c PPV10-PMMA49-53, d PPV10-PMMA84-66, e the lateral view of PPV10-
PMMA84-66, and f PPV10-PMMA126-74 [6]
hundreds of nanometer, or even up to a micrometer. Moreover, the lamellae have

remarkable persistence length (at least several hundred nm) indicating a very high
bending modulus of the DEH-PPV rod lamellar domain. Inset in Fig. 5.14c is a 2D
Fourier transformation of DEH-PPV10-PMMA49-53 demonstrating the 2-fold
symmetry indicative of lamellar structure and a high degree of orientation. The
defects observed in the lamellae of the DEH-PPV-b-PMMA system involve cur-
vature and T junction, with only instances of abruptly ending lamellae due to
dislocations and dilations of DEH-PPV rich regions. We interpret the results as the
free energy penalty associated with additional inter-block contacts at the core of a
dislocation was much higher than the bending penalty imparted by the rod rigidity.
As a result, this system’s higher segregation strength results in greater lamellar
continuity and a greater presence of curvature defects instead of lamellar breaks.
TEM images of the more asymmetric block copolymers (i.e., volume fraction of
copolymer is apart from 50 %), as shown in Fig. 5.14d, show that the DEH-PPV
rods are packed into short strip-like aggregates assembled onto a hexagonal lattice.
Moreover, the 2D Fourier transformation inset in Fig. 5.14d has 6-fold symmetry
indicative of the hexagonal structure with high degree of orientation. The lateral
view of the polymer is also investigated by tilting the sample. TEM image, as
shown in Fig. 5.14e, shows that alternating stripes with light and dark are observed.
However, the stripes in the hexagonal structure are shorter than the stripes in the
lamellar polymers. The short strip-like aggregates with the hexagonal packing
appear again, while the lamellae across the boundary. In summary, in asymmetric
copolymers, the DEH-PPV rods pack into hexagonally arranged strips. These strip
aggregates are much longer in the third dimension than the two small dimensions.
TEM image gives complementary information for the block copolymer with
coil volume fraction at 74 %, as shown in Fig. 5.14f. Short strip-like aggregates
and longer strip-like aggregates with intermediate orientational order still can be
observed. As compared to the structure of DEH-PPV10-PMMA64-66, the structure
of DEH-PPV10-PMMA126-74 is similar to the hexagonal structure.
5.3.2 X-Ray Scattering
X-ray technique is the most important method to determine the spatial arrangements
of all the atoms in polymers [3]. X-rays are generated in cathode ray tubes when high
energy electrons impinge on metal target such as copper. When X-rays are focused
on a polymer sample, two types of scattering occur. If a sample is crystalline, the
X-rays are scattered coherently; that is, there is no change in wavelength or phase
between the incident and scattered rays. Coherent scattering is commonly referred to
as X-ray diffraction. If the sample has a nonhomogeneous (semicrystalline) mor-
phology, the scattering is incoherent; there is change in both wavelength and phase.
Incoherent scattering is referred to as diffuse diffraction or simply as scattering.
Coherent scattering is determined by wide-angle measurements and incoherent
scattering by small angle measurements as shown in Fig. 5.15. The former is
called wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and the latter is named small-angle
X-ray scattering (SAXS). The wide angle diffraction pattern consists of a series of
concentric cones arising from scattering by the crystal planes. It is recorded as
concentric rings on the X-ray plate superimposed on a diffuse background of
incoherent scatter as shown in Fig. 5.15. On the contrary, small-angle scatter
patterns are very diffuse (Fig. 5.15). Another way to present the two dimensional
scattering spectrum of the polymer is making a plot of intensity versus angle of
scattering. The patterns and intensity of X-ray scattering can provide considerable
5.3 Characterization of Morphology and Physical Structure of Polymer 103
X-ray film
Specimen
Collimator
2
X-ray beam
2
~ 50 mm
~ 300 -500 mm
Wide-angle scattering Small-angle scattering
X-ray film
Fig. 5.15 Wide-angle and small-angle X-ray scattering techniques [3]
information regarding the polymer morphology and structure through visual

examination and mathematical modeling interpretation. Examples of scattering
patterns of P3HT-b-P2VP copolymer and P3HT were discussed earlier in
Sects. 3.3 and 3.8, respectively.
5.3.3 Atomic Force Microscopy
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to monitor the surface roughness and
hardness of polymer; phase separation of polymer blends. The essential features of
AFM are shown in Fig. 5.16. The atomic scale probe is scanned through the
Fig. 5.16 Schematic

diagram of an atomic force
microscope [3]
Fig. 5.17 AFM image of PS-

b-PMMA
surface of sample, the change in depth is monitored by laser beam irradiated on the
cantilever, fed back by piezoelectric force that response to surface variations
sensed by the probe. The sample is mounted on the piezoelectric support. Fig-
ure 5.17 shows the phase separation of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)
diblock copolymers (PS-b-PMMA) on glass substrate. The light color image is PS
and the dark color image is PMMA. The PS has a higher depth profile and is
toward air because of its hydrophobic characteristics.
5.4 Characterization of Thermal Properties of Polymers
Thermal analysis is used to study the thermal stability, melting point, glass tran-
sition temperature (Tg), and flammability, etc. The methods include DTA, DSC,
DMA, TMA, and TGA. The full name and principle of each method is described in
the following sections.
5.4.1 Differential Thermal Analysis and Differential

Scanning Calorimetry
Before the invention of DSC, the differential thermal analysis (DTA) is commonly
used to determine the thermal stability of polymer. The DTA, both sample and
reference are heated by the same heat source and the difference in temperature DT
between the two is recorded. When a transition occurs in a sample, a temperature
5.4 Characterization of Thermal Properties of Polymers 105
ΔT
Sample thermocouple Reference thermocouple
Sample Reference
Liquid Block
nitrogen
Cooling Heating
area elements
Power for Temperature sensor

heating elements
To temperature
controller
DTA
Fig. 5.18 Schematic illustrations of DTA and DSC measuring cells [3]
lag will show as endothermic or exothermic depends on the transition. For DSC,
sample and reference are provided with individual heaters, and energy is supplied
to keep the sample and reference temperatures constant. The electrical power
difference between sample and reference is recorded as dDQ/dt. Schematic rep-
resentations of DTA and DSC cells are given in Fig. 5.18. The DTA data only
report the softening (phase transition) temperature of polymer while the DSC also
provide the amount of heat involved in the softening process. The DSC is more
preferred in the polymer characterization because the precise control and mea-
surement of heat varied in the heating process.
Data are plotted as DT (for DTA) or dDQ/dt (for DSC) on the ordinate against
temperature on the abscissa. Such plots are called thermograms. Although DT and
dDQ/dt are not linearly proportional, they are both related to heat capacity. Thus,
DSC and DTA thermograms have the same form. An idealized DSC or DTA
thermogram for a hypothetical crystallizable polymer is depicted in Fig. 5.19. The
figure shows the types of transitions that are interested to polymer scientists.
In reporting transition temperatures, it is important to indicate whether one is
referring to the onset of the transition or to the inflection point peak maximum, as
shown in Fig. 5.20. Both conventions are used.
Exothermic
B Initial D
baseline
d Q A T
dt (DTA)
(DSC)
Shifted
baseline E
C
Endothermic
Temperature
Fig. 5.19 Idealized differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or differential thermal analysis
(DTA) thermogram: (A) temperature of glass transition, Tg; (B) crystallization; (C) crystalline
melting point, Tm; (D) crosslinking; and (E) vaporization. dDQ/dt is the electrical power difference
between sample and reference; DT is the difference in temperature between sample and Ref. [3]
Fig. 5.20 Methods of 1

2 1
reporting transition
2
temperatures: (A) at the
onset, and (B) at the
inflection point or maximum. Baseline
Tg = glass transition
temperature. Tm = crystalline
melting point [3]
A B
Tg A B
Tm
5.4.2 Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA)
TMA employs a sensitive probe in contact with the surface of a polymer sample
under a defined load. As the sample is heated, the probe senses thermal transition
such as Tg or Tm by detecting either a change in volume or a change in modulus.
TMA is generally more sensitive than DSC or DTA for detecting thermal tran-
sitions, especially for thermoset because the TMA probe is in direct contact with
the sample. Figure 5.21 shows bisphenol epoxy resin (BP) was cured with phe-
nolic resin (PF5110) and the thermoset transition occurred at 150 °C [7].
5.4 Characterization of Thermal Properties of Polymers 107
80
Dimension Change (µm)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
50 100 150 200 250

Temperature (˚C)
Fig. 5.21 Thermomechanical analysis of phenolic resin (PF5110) cured epoxy resin (BP) [7]
5.4.3 Thermogravimetric Analysis
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is used primarily for determining thermal

stability of polymers. The most widely used TGA method is based on continuous
measurement of weight on a sensitive balance (called a thermobalance) as sample
temperature is increased in air or in an inert atmosphere. Data are recorded as a
weight loss versus temperature. A typical thermogram illustrating the difference in
thermal stability between a wholly aromatic polymer and a partially aliphatic
polymer of analogs structure is shown in Fig. 5.22.
Fig. 5.22 Thermogram of

1.0
thermogravimetric analysis of
polythiazoles [3] 0.9
0.8
0.7
Weight Fraction W/WO
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3 N N
(CH2 )4
S S
0.2
N N
0.1 S S
0.0
0 200 400 600 800
Temperature
5.4.4 Flammability Test
Flammability is difficult to measure because the result does not correlate directly
the burning behavior in true fire conditions of polymer. Currently, the limiting
oxygen index (LOI) of polymer is employed as an indication of flammability of
polymer. The LOI is the minimum percentage of oxygen in an oxygen–nitrogen
mixture that will initiate and support for three minutes the candle like burning of a
polymer sample; that can be expressed by Eq. 5.4. The test can be easily carried
out in the laboratory using a small-scale fire.
vol: O2
LOI ¼ 100 ð5:4Þ
vol: O2 þ vol: N2
Representative LOI values for some common polymers are given in Table 5.3.
Note the large difference in LOI between poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(vinyl
alcohol), although they have similar structure. The dehydration of polyvinyl
alcohol will cool the polymer during burning. The polymers contained ether
linkage exhibit low LOI due to the presence of oxygen atom. Although the
polycarbonate contains oxygen, it releases fire extinguishing CO2 during burning
which increases the LOI value. The polymers having aromatic structure especially
in the backbone show high LOI, because the aromatic chain is more difficult to
break and burn than that of alkyl chain such as poly(phenylene oxide). The
inclusion of Si in the polymer increases the LOI because Si is nonflammable as
compared to C. The chloride bond of polyvinyl chloride is easy to break under heat
and function as an extinguisher to reduce the burning which results in high LOI.
The poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) exhibits the highest LOI among the polymers
because of the strong C–F bonding and dense structure of the polymer.
Table 5.3 Limiting oxygen indexes (LOI) of some common polymers [3]
Polymer LOI
Poly(oxy methylene) 15
Poly(ethylene oxide) 15
Poly(methyl methacrylate) 17
Polypropylene 17
Polyethylene 17
Polystyrene 18
Poly(1,3-butadiene) 18
Poly(vinyl alcohol) 22
Polycarbonate 27
Poly(phenylene oxide) 28
Polysiloxane 30
Poly(vinyl chloride) 45
Poly(vinylidene chloride) 60
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) 95
5.5 Problems 109
5.5 Problems
1. A copolymer of propylene and vinyl chloride contains 35wt. % chlorine. What

is the molar ratio of vinyl chloride to propylene in the copolymer?
2. What kind of polymer can you deduce from the following IR spectrum?
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000

Wavenumber (cm-1)
3. One stereoregular form of polystyrene (A) has a 1H NMR spectrum containing

a triplet centered at about 1.4 ppm and a quintet at about 1.9 ppm. Another
stereoregular form (B) has an octet at about 1.6 ppm. Interpret the spectra and
determine which corresponds to isotactic and which to syndiotactic.
4. How would you distinguish between the following two polymers by IR and
NMR?
½pC6 H4 CH2 n ; ½oC6 H4 CH2 n
5. What changes would be observed in the XRD patterns of rubber that has been
stretched?
6. Please use a spectroscopic method to determine the following and explain
your answer. (a) The amount of styrene in a styrene-butadiene copolymer. (b)
The amount of 1,2- polymer in poly(1,3-butadiene). (c) The stereochemistry
of double bonds in 1,4-poly(1,3-butadiene). (d) Unreacted polyacrylonitrile
(PAN) is present in a sample of carbon fiber prepared by pyrolysis of PAN. (e)
Poly(vinyl acetate) has undergone hydrolysis on exposure to moisture. (f) A
polyester surgical implant has been coated with polyterafluoroethylene com-
pletely to improve its chemical resistance.
7. Which technique would you use to solve the following problems, (a) locate a
crystalline melting temperature, (b) determine the degree of orientation, (c)
determine the arrangement of molecular chains in a polymer crystal, (d) locate
the glass transition temperature, (e) characterize the double bond in the diene
polymer, (f) measure the enthalpy of fusion, (g) investigate the mechanism of
oxidation of a polymer, (h) study the molecular motion of polymer chains, (i)
estimate the degree of crystallinity, (j) measure the amide content of an ester-
amide copolymer.
8. Show how NMR can be used to (a) distinguish between head-to-head and
head-to-tail polymerization in polymer, (b) distinguish between a random
copolymer and a mixture of homopolymers.
9. Draw typical DSC and DTA thermograms for a crystalline polymer, showing
the glass transition, crystallization, crystalline melting and thermal
degradation.
10. Please answer the following questions:
(a) Which of the following aromatic compounds do you expect to absorb at
the longer wavelength?
CH2
(b) Naphthalene is colorless, but its isomer azulene is blue. Which com-
pound has the lower-energy pi electronic transition?
naphthalene azulene
(c) Does the molecular weight affect the absorption wavelength (kmax ) of
polymer? Please compare the difference of UV–Vis spectrum of poly-
thiophene between molecular weight of 3000 and 30,000. Explain your
answer.
References
1. N.M. Bikales (ed.), Characterization of Polymers (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1971)

2. J.R. Dyer, in Applications of Absorption Spectroscopy of Organic Compounds (Prentice-Hall,
Inc., Eagle-wood Cliffs, 1965)
3. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford University Press, New York, 1999)
4. A.H. Kuptsov, G. N. Zhizhin, in Handbook of Fourier Transform Raman and Infrared Spectra
of Polymers (Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, 1998)
5. H. Hart, L. Craine and D. Hart, Organic Chemistry, 7th edn. (Houghton Mifflin Company,
Boston, 2003)
6. C.C. Ho, Y.H. Lee, C.A. Dai, R. Segalman, W.F. Su, Macromolecules 42(12), 4208–4219
(2009)
7. D. Lee, Master Thesis of National Taiwan University, (Taipei, Taiwan, 2001), 64
Chapter 6
Step Polymerization
The step polymerization builds up the molecular weight of polymer by stepwise

function. Sometimes, the polymerization involves the release of small molecule
by-product, so it is also called condensation polymerization. It is the earliest
polymerization technique in the synthetic polymers. In 1907, Leo Baekeland of
Germany created the first completely synthetic polymer, Bakelite, by reacting
phenol and formaldehyde. It is also called phenolic resin. The molecular weight of
the phenolic resin builds up stepwise by removing water. The product was com-
mercialized in 1909 by forming a company bearing his name as Bakelite until
present day.
Table 6.1 lists some of the commercially important polymers prepared by step-
reaction polymerization. The reaction mechanisms, kinetics of polyesters and
polyamides have been thoroughly studied. Thus, we are discussing the degree of
polymerization DP and the polymerization rate of step polymerization using these
two polymers as examples.
6.1 Chemical Reactions and Reaction Mechanisms of Step

Polymerization
The type of products formed in step polymerization is determined by the func-

tionality of the monomers, i.e., by the average number of reactive functional
groups per monomer molecule. Monofunctional monomers give only low
molecular weight products. Bifunctional monomers give linear polymers. Poly-
functional monomers, with more than two functional groups per molecule, give
branched or crosslinked polymers. The properties of the linear and the crosslinked
polymers differ widely. The mechanism of step polymerization is discussed below
according to the type of chemical reaction [2].

112 6 Step Polymerization
Table 6.1 Commercially important polymers prepared by step polymerization [1]

Polymer type Repeating functional unit
Polyether [poly(phenylene oxide)] R
R
Polyether (epoxy resin) OH
CH 2 C H C H 2 OAr
Polysulfide ArS
Poly(alkylene polysulfide) RS x
Polysulfone ArSO 2
Polyester O
RCO
Polycarbonate O
ROCO
Polyamide O
RCNH
Polyurea O
RNHCNH
Polyurethane O
ROCNH
Phenol–formaldehyde (complex network structure) OH
CH 2
Urea–formaldehyde (complex network structure) O

NCNHCH 2
Melamine–formaldehyde (complex network structure)
N N N
C H2
N N
N
Polyimide O
Ar N
O
6.1 Chemical Reactions and Reaction Mechanisms of Step Polymerization 113
6.1.1 Carbonyl Addition: Elimination Reaction Mechanism
The reaction mechanism involves the addition and elimination at the carbonyl
double bond of carboxylic acids and their derivatives to form polymer as shown
below:
O O O
R C X + Y R C Y + X ð6:1Þ
R C Y
X
Where R may be alkyl or aryl groups, X may be OH, OR0 , O–C(=O)R0 , or Cl; and
Y may be R0 O-, R0 OH, R0 NH2, or R0 COO-. The species in the bracket is a
metastable intermediate, which can either return to the original state by elimi-
nating Y or proceed to the final state by eliminating X. The following section
provides some typical examples of polymers made by this reaction mechanism.
6.1.1.1 Direct Reaction
Polyester has been prepared by direct reaction of a dibasic acid and a glycol. A
strong acid or acidic salt often serves as a catalyst. The reaction may be carried out
by heating the reactants together and removing water, usually applying vacuum in
the later stages.
Polyamide can be synthesized by direct reaction of dibasic acid and a diamine.
The use of their salt such as hexamethylene diamine salt of adipic acid to syn-
thesize Nylon 66 can meet stringent requirement of stoichiometric equivalent to
obtain high molecular weight polymer by heating salt to above its melting point in
an inert atmosphere.
6.1.1.2 Interchange
The ester exchange has been used to synthesize polyester using a glycol and ester
as the following:
n HO R OH + n R OOC R COOR
ð6:2Þ
R O CO R COO R O H + (2n-1) R' OH
n
The alcohol by-product is easier to remove than the water, so a higher

molecular weight can be achieved faster. The ester monomer also has an advantage
over acid monomer on the solubility in solvent. This reaction has been used
routinely in the synthesis of polyester using ethylene glycol and dimethyl tere-
phthalate in the industry. The other interchange reactions such as amine-amide,
amine-ester, and acetal-alcohol are well-known for polymerization.
6.1.1.3 Acid Chloride or Anhydride
Either acid chloride or anhydride can be reacted with a glycol or an amine to give a
polymer. The anhydride reaction is widely used to form an alkyd resin from
phthalic anhydride and a glycol:
O
C
n O + n HO R OH
C
O O O
HO C C O R O H + (n-1) H2O
ð6:3Þ
The reaction between acid chloride and a glycol is not useful because of side
reactions leading to low molecular weight products. However, the reaction of an
acid chloride with a diamine is a good way to prepare polyamides. The amine is a
much stronger nucleophile toward acid chloride than the alcohol, so the poly-
merization can be achieved quantitatively.
6.1.1.4 Interfacial Condensation
The reaction of an acid halide with a glycol or a diamine proceeds rapidly to high
molecular weight polymer if carried out at the interface between two liquid phases,
each containing one of the reactants. Typically, an aqueous phase containing the
diamine or glycol and an acid is layered at room temperature over an organic phase
containing the acid chloride. The polymer formed at the interface can be pulled off
as a continuous film or filament (Fig. 6.1). The method has been applied to the
formation of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polysulfonamides, and po-
lyphenyl esters. It is particularly useful for synthesizing polymers that are unstable
at higher temperature.
A typical example is the Schotten-Baumann synthesis of polyamide from a
diacid chloride dissolved in an organic solvent, and a diamine dissolved in aqueous
base. The base is needed to neutralize the by-product HCl, which would otherwise
react with the diamine to form amine hydrochloride. Rapid stirring to maximize
the interfacial area increases the yield of polymer.
Fig. 6.1 Interfacial synthesis

of polyamide
Polyamide
Diamine in water
Diacid chloride in
halogenated solvent
O O O O
NaOH
Cl C R C Cl + H2N R NH2 C R C NH R NH
H2O, CH2Cl2
ð6:4Þ
6.1.2 Carbonyl Addition: Substitution Reaction Mechanism
This reaction mechanism has been used in the synthesis of polyacetal from
aldehyde and alcohol. The reaction mechanism involves first addition and then
substitution at the carbonyl groups of aldehyde from alcohol to form polyacetal.
O OH OR
R OH
R C H + R OH R CH R CH ð6:5Þ
OR OR
The phenolic resin made from formaldehyde and phenol is underwent similar
reaction mechanism.
6.1.3 Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction Mechanism
This reaction mechanism is used in the synthesis of epoxy resin as shown in the
following:
O CH3
aq.
H2C CHCH2 Cl + HO C OH
NaOH
CH3
O CH3 OH CH3 O
H 2C CH CH2O C OCH2 CHCH2O C OCH2 CH CH2
CH3 n CH3
ð6:6Þ
Here, the nucleophile is bisphenol A to react with epichlorohydrin to substitute

chlorine by ring closure reaction to form epoxy resin. The size of epoxy resin can
be controlled by the amount of epichlorohydrin. Usually, the excess amount of
epichlorohydrin is used to obtain low molecular weight liquid epoxy resin with n is
equal to 0 or 1. This low molecular weight epoxy resin can be further reacted with
multifunctional amine or anhydride to obtain cured thermoset epoxy resin by the
following reaction:
O OH
ð6:7Þ
CH2 CH CH 2 + RNH2 CH 2 CH CH 2NHR
6.1.4 Double-Bond Addition Reaction Mechanism
This reaction mechanism is typically used to synthesize polyurethane. Polyure-

thane is prepared by adding the hydroxyl group of polyol into the double bond of
isocyanate as shown in the following. The polyol can be either polyester polyol or
polyether polyol. The polyol is usually synthesized by ring opening polymerization
which will be discussed in Chap. 11.
n HOROH + n O C N R N C O
O O
OR O C NHR NH C
n
ð6:8Þ
6.1.5 Free-Radical Coupling
This reaction mechanism is used to synthesize arylene ether polymers, polymer

containing acetylene units, and arylene alkylidene polymers as shown below:
R R
n R OH + n [O n] O + n [O n]HR
n
R R
ð6:9Þ
where [On] is an oxidizing agent.
6.1.6 Aromatic Electrophilic-Substitution Reaction

Mechanism
The poly(p-phenylene) synthesis can be obtained by this reaction mechanism as

shown in the following:
catalyst
n + n [O n] + n [On]H2 ð6:10Þ
n
6.2 Reaction Kinetics of Step Polymerization
Linear polymers are synthesized either from difunctional monomers of the AB

type or from a combination of AA and BB difunctional monomers. Network
polymers are formed from monomers having functionality greater than two.
Polymers retain their functionality as end groups at the completion of polymeri-
zation. A single reaction is responsible for the formation of polymer. Molecular
weight increases slowly even at high levels of conversion. In 1920, Wallace
Carothers proposed a Carothers equation relating DP to monomer conversion
(p) as Eq. 6.11. High-yield reactions and an exact stoichiometric balance are
necessary to obtain a high molecular weight linear polymer.
1
DP ¼ ð6:11Þ
1p
If the polymerization reaction is first order with respect to each functional group
reactant, A and B, then the rate of reaction can be expressed by:
d½A
¼ k½ A½B ð6:12Þ
dt
For high molecular weight polymer, we need ½ A ¼ ½B, then the rate of reaction
becomes
d½A
¼ k ½ A 2 ð6:13Þ
dt
or, by integration,
1 1
¼ kt ð6:14Þ
½A ½Ao
At any particular time, t, in the polymerization process, DP is equal to the ratio
of monomer molecules present initially to the total number at that time; that is,
½Ao
DP ¼ ð6:15Þ
½A
Combining Eq. 6.15 with the Carothers equation and solving for [A], one has
½A ¼ ½Ao ð1 pÞ ð6:16Þ
By substitution in Eq. 6.14, one obtains
1 1
¼ kt ð6:17Þ
½Ao ð1 pÞ ½Ao
Since DP = 1/ð1 pÞ, Eq. 6.17 can be rearranged into
DP 1
¼ kt ð6:18Þ
½ Ao ½ Ao
or
DP ¼ ½Ao kt þ 1 ð6:19Þ

From initial monomer concentration ½Ao and time t, we can calculate molecular
weight. For the synthesis of polyester, in the absence of acid catalyst, the monomer
of carboxylic acid A, assumes the role of catalyst, and the rate of reaction then
becomes second order in acid, or third order overall:
d½A
¼ k½A2 ½B ð6:20Þ
dt
6.2 Reaction Kinetics of Step Polymerization 119
Assuming ½ A and ½B are equal,

d½A
¼ k½A3 ð6:21Þ
dt
Integration then gives
1 1
2
¼ 2kt ð6:22Þ
½ A ½Ao 2
Substituting for ½ A from Eq. 6.16 and rearranging
1 1
2 2
¼ 2kt ð6:23Þ
½ Ao ð 1 p Þ ½Ao 2
or
1
¼ 2kt½Ao 2 þ1 ð6:24Þ
ð1 pÞ2
and
2
DP ¼ 2kt½Ao 2 þ1 ð6:25Þ
For uncatalyzed polyesterification (6.25), the molecular weight increases slower
than that of acid catalyzed polyesterification (6.19). The above equation deviates at
both low and high levels of extent of conversion of monomers. As shown in
Fig. 6.2, in the early stage, highly polar alcohol and acid are converted to much
lower polarity ester. The more polar the medium, the more association through
hydrogen bonding inhibits reactivity. At high conversion, water by-product is
difficult to remove in high-viscosity environment (high molecular weight) that
reduces the rate of conversion.
6.3 Molecular Weight Control in Step Polymerization
Three approaches have been used extensively to limit the molecular weight of
polymer in step-reaction polymerization. One can quench the polymerization
reaction by lowering the reaction temperature or by adding monofunctional
monomer. For example, fatty acid has been added into unsaturated polyester
synthesis, acetic acid added into Nylon 66 synthesis. One can also obtain low
molecular weight epoxy resin by using one reactant in excess as described earlier.
When a nonstoichiometric amount of functional groups is used, the relationship
between DP and reaction conversion can be quantified by a modification of the
Carothers equation. We use a factor, r, representing the stoichiometric imbalance.
For a polymerization reaction of AA and BB, when the molar equivalent of AA
Fig. 6.2 Third-order plot of the self-catalyzed polyesterification of adipic acid with diethylene
glycol at 166 °C [3]
monomer (NAo ) is different from the molar equivalent of BB monomer (NBo ), the
stoichiometric imbalance factor, r, can be expressed by:
NAo
r¼ ð6:26Þ
NBo
By convention, r is always less than unity (except, when NAo ¼ NBo ). As before, p
is the reaction conversion, which in this case represents the fraction of A groups
that have reacted. Because the reaction of each A group consumes one B group,
the fraction of B reacted at conversion p is equal to NAo , or prNBo . The number of
unreacted groups, NA and NB , is then given by:
NA ¼ ð1 pÞNAoand
No ð6:27Þ
NB ¼ ð1 prÞNBo ¼ ð1 prÞ A
r
6.3 Molecular Weight Control in Step Polymerization 121
At this time, the number of A and B end groups is equal to NA þ NB , and,

because there are two end groups per molecule, the number of molecular chains,
N, is given by:
1
N ¼ ðNA þ NB Þ ð6:28Þ
2
that is,

1 o NAo
N ¼ ð1 pÞNA þ ð1 pr Þ ð6:29Þ
2 r
and reduces to

NAo 1
N¼ 1 þ 2p ð6:30Þ
2 r
One repeating unit is formed after each reaction of A and B functional group,
thus, the total number of repeating units, Nr , is given by:
1 o
Nr ¼ NA þ NBo ð6:31Þ
2
Since r ¼ NAo =NBo ,

1 No No r þ 1
Nr ¼ NAo þ A ¼ A ð6:32Þ
2 r 2 r
The average degree of polymerization is equal to the number of monomeric
units divided by the number of chains; that is,

Nr NAo =2 ½ðr þ 1Þ=r
DP ¼ ¼ o ð6:33Þ
N NA =2 ½1 þ ð1=r Þ 2p
and reduces to
1þr
DP ¼ ð6:34Þ
r þ 1 2rp
From Eq. 6.34, at given the stoichiometric imbalance factor, r, one can cal-
culate the extent of reaction necessary to achieve a given degree of polymeriza-
tion. If r ¼ 1, the relationship reduces to
1
DP ¼ ð6:35Þ
1p
which becomes, the Carothers equation. When monomer A is completely used up

in the polymerization (i.e,, when p ¼ 1), the equation becomes
1þr
DP ¼ ð6:36Þ
1r
If monofunctional reagent is added to control the molecular weight of polyester,
the imbalance factor r (Eq. 6.26) needs to be redefined as r 0 as the following:
NAo
r0 ¼ ð6:37Þ
NBo þ 2NBo
where NBo , is the number of monofunctional B groups. The factor 2 takes into
account the fact that each monofunctional B0 molecule is equally as effective as
one excess BB monomer in limiting the molecular weight.
6.4 Molecular Weight Distribution
Using statistical methods derived by Paul Flory, the molecular weight distribution
in step polymerization can be related to the reaction conversion. One needs to
determine the probability of finding a chain containing x monomer units and a
single unreacted A or B group at time t for a polymerization reaction of AA and
BB. The probability that x-1 of A or B has reacted is px1 , where p is the reaction
conversion, defined previously as
No N
p¼ ð6:38Þ
No
The probability of finding an unreacted group is 1 p. The probability of
finding a molecule containing x units and an unreacted A or B group is then
px1 ð1 pÞ. If the total number of molecules present at time t is N, then the
fraction that contains x units, Nx is given by:
Nx ¼ Npx1 ð1 pÞ ð6:39Þ
Knowing that N=No ¼ 1 p (Carothers equation), one can rewrite the
expression for Nx as the following:
Nx ¼ No ð1 pÞ2 px1 ð6:40Þ

where No is the number of monomer units present initially. The above relationship
can be plotted and shown in Fig. 6.3.
The figure shows, even at 99 % conversion, monomer still represents the most
abundant species present. This is misleading. One can have a more reasonable
picture expressing the molecular weight distribution in terms of the weight
6.4 Molecular Weight Distribution 123
Fig. 6.3 Mole fraction 0.040

distribution in linear step
polymerization [1] .032 P= 0.95
.024
Nx
.016
.008 P= 0.98
P= 0.99
0
0 100 200
X
fraction. The molecular weight can be expressed by the weight fraction as shown
in the following equations:
xNx Mo xNx
wx ¼ ¼ ð6:41Þ
No Mo No
where Mo is the mass of the repeating unit, substituting the expression of Nx , one
obtains
wx ¼ xð1 pÞ2 px1 ð6:42Þ

Figure 6.4 shows the plot of wx versus x at four levels of conversion. Both
figures confirm that high degrees of polymerization can be achieved by very high
conversion.
Fig. 6.4 Weight fraction

distribution in linear step
polymerization [1]
To determine the polydispersity index (M w =M

n ) at a given conversion, one
needs to define M n in terms of p. Given that M
w and M n is the product of DP and
M o , and DP ¼ 1=ð1 pÞ; one can write
n ¼ Mo
M ð6:43Þ
1p
w , one can have the following expression:
For M
w ¼ R wx M x
M ð6:44Þ
and rewrite it for x units as
w ¼ R wx xM o
M ð6:45Þ
Substituting the expression for wx above, one obtains
w ¼ M o ð1 pÞ2 R x2 px1
M ð6:46Þ
The series R x2 px1 reduces to ð1 þ pÞ=ð1 pÞ3 ; therefore,
w ¼ M o ð1 þ pÞ
M ð6:47Þ
1p
Then, one can have the polydispersity index as the following:
w
M
n ¼ 1þp
M
ð6:48Þ
6.5 Network Formation from Step Polymerization
If monomers contain functionality greater than two are used in the step poly-
merization, then chain branching and crosslinking are resulted. The crosslinked
polymer exhibits superior physical and chemical properties as compared with
linear polymer. If the reaction is carried to a high enough conversion, gelation
occurs. Gel point is a sudden increase in viscosity during the polymerization,
polymer liquid changes into solid gel. When the gelation occurs in the reactor, it is
very difficult to take the gel out of the reactor. Special attention needs to pay
during the polymerization using multifunctional monomers. It is desirable to be
able to predict the gel point from manufacturing point of view. When the
monomers with different functionality are used in the correct amount, the gelation
of the polymerization can be controlled as shown in the following equations.
Given that
No N
p¼ ð6:49Þ
No
6.5 Network Formation from Step Polymerization 125
where No and N are the number of monomer molecules initially and at conversion
p, respectively, then the number of functional groups that have reacted is
2(No N). The number of functional groups initially is No fav . Thus,
2ðNo NÞ
p¼ ð6:50Þ
No fav
Since DP ¼ No =N, the above expression may be rewritten as:
2 2
p¼ ð6:51Þ
fav DPfav
By rearranging Eq. 6.51, one can obtain the number average degree of poly-
merization as
n ¼ 1
X ð6:52Þ
1 fav p=2
and the weight-average (degree of polymerization) by
w ¼ xWx ¼ 1þp
X ð6:53Þ
1 ðfav 1Þp
At the gel point, the weight-average degree of polymerization becomes infinite.
As may be seen in Fig. 6.5, where both averages are plotted against p. The very
large values of X w =X
n near the gel point illustrate the extreme breadth of the
distributions.
It is assumed that gelation occurs when DP becomes infinite, at which point the
second term of Eq. (6.51) becomes zero. Then
2
pc ¼ ð6:54Þ
fav
where pc denotes the critical reaction conversion at which gelation occurs.
Fig. 6.5 Weight- and

number-average degree of
polymerization as a function
of p for a trifunctional step
polymerization [2]
The following are two examples of gel point calculation for equivalent amounts
of acid and alcohol functional groups. Their chemical structures are shown in the
following:
1. For an equimolar mixture of phthalic anhydride (1, f = 2), trimellitic acid (2,
f = 3), ethylene glycol (3, f = 2), and glycerol (4, f = 3), one can calculate fav
and pc as
fav ¼ ð2 þ 3 þ 2 þ 3Þ=4 ¼ 2:5
pc ¼ 2=2:5 ¼ 80 %
If only difunctional monomers are in the mixture, then
DP ¼ 1=ð1 pc Þ ¼ 1=ð1 0:8Þ ¼ 50

2. For a mixture of 3 mol of 1 and 2 mol of 4, the fav and pc as
fav ¼ ½ð3 2Þ þ ð2 3Þ=5 ¼ 2:4
pc ¼ 2=fav ¼ 2=2:4 ¼ 83 %
In real case, such mixture gels at about 77 % conversion. The discrepancy
arises primarily from the greater contribution of high molecular weight fraction.
In terms of critical gel point for nonequivalent amount of acid and alcohol, we can
derive the following relationship. A mixture consisting of three monomers A, B, C;
A and C have the same functional groups but different functionality, B contains a
different functional group and in excess. Then the average functionality is given by:
2rfA fB fC
fav ¼ ð6:55Þ
fA fC þ rqfA fB þ rð1 qÞfB fC
where the constants r and q are given by:
NA fA þ NC fC
r¼ ð6:56Þ
N B fB
6.5 Network Formation from Step Polymerization 127
and
N C fC
q¼ ð6:57Þ
NA fA þ NC fC
The critical conversion, pc , then refers to the extent of reaction of the A groups
only.
Statistical methods have also been developed that predict gelation at a lower
level of conversion than that predicted by the Carothers equation. For the case of fA
and fB each equivalent to 2, and fC [ 2, the method will derive pc as the following:
1
pc ¼ ð6:58Þ
½r þ rqðf 2Þ1=2
where f is the functionality of C. Experimental value of pc fall between the values
calculated by the statistical and nonstatistical method.
6.6 Step Copolymerization
A copolymer is defined in step polymerization as one having more than one kind
of repeating unit. Thus, a polyester 5 prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene
glycol is a homopolymer, but a polyester 6 made with a 1:1:2 mixture of tere-
phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and ethylene glycol is a copolymer. In synthesizing
copolymers such as 6, the distribution of monomer units is random because the
two dicarboxylic acids have virtually equal reactivity.
O O
C COCH 2CH 2O
O O O O
C CO CH2CH 2O C CO CH 2C H 2O
Alternating step copolymers can also be synthesized. Consider the hypothetical

case of two different monomers, AA and BB, both of which react with monomer
CC. A 1:1:2 mixture of AA, BB, and CC yields a random copolymer. If, however,
AA is first reacted with CC, then the product is reacted with BB, an alternating
copolymer is formed. This is shown schematically in Eq. 6.59. Figure 6.6 illus-
trates an example of synthesis of polyurethane elastomers using this approach.
HO OH + OCN Ar NCO
(Polyehter or polyester) (Excess)
O O O O
OCN Ar NHC O OCNH Ar NHC O OCNH Ar NCO
OCN-Ar-NCO H2N-R-NH2
(unreacted)
O O O O
CNH Ar NHCNH R NH CNH Ar NHCO O
hard segment soft segment
Fig. 6.6 Synthesis of elastomeric polyurethane
BB
AA + 2CC CC-AA-CC CC-AA-CC-BB ð6:59Þ
Step polymers are true telechelic polymers, so one can easily prepare block
copolymers by linking homopolymers together through co-reactive functional
groups. As shown in Eq. 6.60, the AB block copolymer of polyether and poly-
urethane can be synthesized by reacting hydroxyl-terminated polyether with iso-
cyanate-terminated polyurethane. The AB block copolymer of polyester and
polyamide can be obtained by reacting an acid chloride-terminated polyester with
an amine-terminated polyamide as shown in Eq. 6.61. Alternatively, one could
react an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane with two equivalents of hydroxyl-
terminated polyester to form an ABA block copolymer as shown in Eq. 6.62.
HO-polyether-OH + OCN-polyurethane-NCO
O O ð6:60Þ
O-polyether-OCNH-polyurethane-NHC
O O
ClC Polyester CCl + H2N polyamide NH2
ð6:61Þ
O O
C polyester CNH polyamide NH
6.6 Step Copolymerization 129
2 HO-polyester-OH + OCN-polyurethane-NCO
O O ð6:62Þ
HO-polyester-OCNH-polyurethane-NHCO-polyester-OH
6.7 Techniques of Step Polymerization
Four step polymerization techniques have been developed for synthetic polymers:
(a) homogeneous bulk polymerization, (b) homogeneous solution polymerization,
(c) heterogeneous interfacial polymerization, and (d) heterogeneous phase-transfer
catalyzed polymerization. For homogeneous bulk polymerization, it has the
advantage of providing a product free of contaminants other than by products or
side reactions. The major disadvantage is that high viscosities necessitate the use
of elevated temperature and inert atmosphere (avoid oxidative decomposition). For
homogeneous solution polymerization, it minimizes the high-viscosity problem
and can assist in removal of by-product by azeotropic distillation. The major
disadvantage of the process is the necessary of the removal of the solvent.
For heterogeneous interfacial polymerization, the reaction involves solutions of
the two monomers in separate, immiscible solvents. When the two solutions are
brought into contact, polymer is formed at the interface. Some examples have been
discussed in Sect. 6.1.1.4. Interfacial polymerization differs significantly from bulk
or solution polymerization. The reaction goes rapidly at low temperature. The
diffusion of monomer to the interface is a rate determining step. Monomer reacts
with the growing chains at the interface more rapidly than it diffuses through the
polymer film to initiate new chain (similar to chain polymerization) hence
molecular weights tend to be significantly higher. Thus, an exact stoichiometric
balance is not necessary. High cost of acid chlorides and the usage of large
volumes of solvent make the interfacial method prohibitively expensive for many
polymers relative to bulk or solution processes.
For heterogeneous phase-transfer catalyzed polymerization [1], the method
involves an aqueous phase and an organic phase, each containing one of mono-
mers. It is also an interfacial technique. Quaternary ammonium salt transports a
nucleophilic monomer from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Its nucleo-
philicity is greatly enhanced because of reduced solvation effects. Phase-transfer
catalysis (PTC), although commonly employed in organic synthesis, has limited
application in polymerization reactions. The polymer 9 can be synthesized by the
reaction of a,a0 -dichloro-p-xylene 7 and t-butyl cyanoacetate 8 using benzyltri-
ethylammonium chloride (Eq. 6.63). In this case, an anion derived from 8 by
reaction with NaOH is transported to the benzene solution as the soluble ben-
zyltriethylammonium salt, where it reacts rapidly with 7 by nucleophilic dis-
placement. Polymer is formed because 8 contains two active hydrogens.
ClCH2 CH2Cl + NCCH2CO2C(CH3) 3
8
7
CN
ArCH2N+(C2H5) 3Cl-
CH2 CH2C
NaOH, H2O/benzene
CO2C(CH3) 3
9
ð6:63Þ
6.8 Synthesis of Dendritic Polymers (Dendrimers)
Dendrimers [1] are defined by their three component parts: A central core, an
interior dendritic structure, and an exterior surface. Their macromolecular
dimensions are easily controlled by the number of the repeating level of the
synthesis steps. Dendrimers are more soluble than linear polymers because of their
high surface functionality. The surface functionality has potential application in
target drug delivery and molecular sensors. Their viscosity is usually lower than
that of linear polymer because no chain entanglement. They are useful for rhe-
ology modifiers. Supramolecular assemblies may be constructed by incorporating
guest molecules among the interior branches of the dendrimer. Thus, they are
useful for drug delivery systems, controlled release of agricultural chemicals.
Figure 6.7 shows the size prospective of dendrimers as compared with other
matters. The size of dendrimer can be precisely controlled by stepwise polymer-
ization as discussed by two following synthetic methods.
6.8.1 Divergent Method
For the synthesis of polyamidoamine (PAMAM), NH3 is used as core. In first

generation: NH3 is added to methylacrylate via Michael addition, the resultant
triester 10 is then reacted with excess 1,2-ethanediamine to form amide-amine 11.
Each new generation results from a repetition of the two-step reaction sequence as
shown below:
6.8 Synthesis of Dendritic Polymers (Dendrimers) 131
Fig. 6.7 Size comparisons of different matters
NH3 + 3 H2C CHCO2CH3 N(CH2CH2CO 2CH3)3

10
10 + H2NCH2CH2NH2 N(CH2CH2CONHCH2CH2NH2)3
11
For generations 2 and 3, they are schematically shown in Fig. 6.8. With each
new generation, the number of surface functional group doubles, reaching 3072 by
the 10th generation. It is called starburst polymer.
6.8.2 Convergent System
Figures 6.9 and 6.10 show the convergent synthesis of a polyether dendrimer. The
branching unit, 3,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol 13, is first reacted with the benzylic
bromide 12 to yield 14 in the presence of base. The alcohol group of 14 is then
converted to bromide, and reacted again with 12 (Fig. 6.9). The steps are repeated
until the desired segment size is reached. The polyether dendrimer is then
assembled by condensing a benzylic bromide-terminated segment with a poly-
functional phenol (Fig. 6.10).
H2N NH2
H2N NH2
H2 N NH2 N N
H2N NH2 N N N N
H2N NH2
H2N NH2 N N
N N N
H2N NH2
NH2 N N
H2N NH2 N N NH2
H2N
H2N NH2
Fig. 6.8 Formation of second and third generation of PAMAM dendrimer. Reaction sequence:
(1) excess CH2=CHCO2CH3 and (2) excess H2NCH2CH2NH2 [1]
O HO
Base
+
Br
OH
O
HO
13
12
O O
O
O
O O O
O
1. CBr4 , PPh3
O OH
2. 12, Base OH
O
O
O O
O
O
14 O
Fig. 6.9 Formation of polyether dendritic segment [1]

6.8 Synthesis of Dendritic Polymers (Dendrimers) 133
OH
O
HO OH O O
Base
Br + Ar Ar
HO OH O O
OH O
Fig. 6.10 Convergent synthesis of a dendrimer from dendritic segments [1]
6.8.3 Molecular Weight of Dendrimer
The size of dendrimer is self limited because of steric congestion. Dendrimers with
molecular weights in the hundreds of thousands have been achieved. Their
molecular dimensions lie in the nanometer range, so they are called nanomaterials.
6.9 Hyperbranched Copolymer
The hyperbranched aromatic copolymer can be synthesized by Suzuki coupling

reaction. The reaction was first reported in 1979 by Akira Suzuki, the reaction
couples aromatic boronic acids to aromatic halides [4]. The reaction relies on a
palladium catalyst such as tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) to take in part
of the transformation. This reaction has been extensively used in the synthesis of
donor–acceptor of alternating conjugated copolymer for polymer solar cell
application [5]. The 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in part to Suzuki
for his discovery and development of this very versatile mild reaction to link
aromatic molecule together.
For example, a conjugated alternate copolymers constituted of triphenylamine
and phenylene units can be obtained by palladium catalyzed coupling of tris(p-
bromophenyl)amine 15 and benzene-1,4-diboronic acid 16 (Fig. 6.11) [6]. Amine
15 and acid 16 are trifunctional (B3) and difunctional (A2) monomers, respec-
tively. Hyperbranched polymers can be prepared through intermediate AB2
monomers formed from B3 and A2 monomers. The copolymer (17) was soluble in
organic solvents such as chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. GPC indicated that it had
an average molecular weight of 5,400.
Br
Pd(PPh3)4
N Br + (HO)2B B(OH)2
C6H6
Na2CO3 (2M)
16
Br
15
N N N
N N
N N N
N
17
Fig. 6.11 Example of synthetic route of hyperbranched copolymer
6.10 Problems
1. Considering the reaction conditions for bulk polycondensations, suggest rea-

sons other than those given in the chapter for deviations in the plots of DP
versus t for polyesters.
6.10 Problems 135
2. To what percent conversion should a batch of 11-amino undecanoic acid be

processed to yield polyamide having a number average molecular weight of
2.5 9 104?
3. Rate constants for polyesterification of adipic acid and 1,10-decanediol at
161°C are 0.0012 (eq/kg)2/min (uncatalyzed) and 0.079 (eq/kg)/min (cata-
lyzed). How long would it take to prepare a polyester of number average
molecular weight 15,000 (bulk processing) under each set of condition?
(Assume equimolar amounts of each reactant and 2 equivalents per mole, and
that bulk mass remains constant.) What would the polydispersity index be for
the polymer?
4. If 5 mol % excess diol was used in the previous problem, what number
average molecular weight would be obtained if the reaction was carried to the
same conversion?
5. Using the Carothers relationship, please calculate the percent conversion at the
gel point for (a) 3:1:3 and (b) 1:1:2 molar ratio of phthalic anhydride, tri-
mellitic acid, and glycerol.
6. Calculate X n and X
w for an equal molar mixture of a diacid and a glycol at the
following extent of reactions: 0.500, 0.750, 0.950, 0.980, 0.990, and 0.995.
7. A polyester, made with an equivalent amount of terephthalic acid and ethylene
glycol, the molecular weight of the polyester was controlled at X n ¼ 100 by
adding methanol. (a) How much methanol is required? (b) Calculate X w and
the weight and number fractions of monomer in the resulting polymer, (c) If
the glycerol was added instead of methanol. Will the mixture gel if the
reaction is carried to completion?
8. Explain why aliphatic polyamides but not aliphatic polyesters can be prepared
by interfacial polymerization.
9. Write equations illustrating the synthesis of (a) an alternating copolyamide
from isophthaloyl chloride, terephthaloyl chloride, and m-diaminobenzene,
and (b) an ABA block copolymer of poly(11-undecanoamide) (A) with the
polyamide (B) formed in (a).
10. Please propose the reaction mechanism of Suzuki coupling reaction for the
formation of diphenyl (hint: review Ref. [7]).
References
1. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford University press, Oxford, 1999)
2. F.W. Billmeyer, Jr., Textbook of Polymer Science, 3rd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1984)
3. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 3rd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1991)
4. N. Miyaura, K. Yamada, A. Suzuki, A new stereospecific cross-coupling by the palladium-
catalyzed reaction of 1-alkenylboranes with 1-alkenyl or 1-alkynyl halides. Tetrahedron Lett.
20(36), 3437–3440 (1979)
5. B. Pal, W.C. Yen, J.S. Yang, C.Y. Chao, Y.C. Hung, S.T. Lin, C.H. Chuang, C.W. Chen, W.F.
Su, Substituent effect on the optoelectronic properties of alternating fluorene-cyclopentadi-
thiophene copolymers. Macromolecules 41, 6664–6671 (2008)
6. S. Tanaka, K. Takeuchi, M. Asai, T. Iso, M. Ueda, Preparation of hyperbranced copolymer

constituted of triphenylamine and phenylene unit. Synth. Met. 119, 139–140 (2001)
7. N. Miyaura, A. Suzuki, Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of organoboron
compounds, Chem. Rev. 95, 2457–2483 (1995)
Chapter 7
Radical Chain Polymerization
The polymerization of unsaturated monomers typically involves a chain reaction. In

a chain polymerization, one act of initiation may lead to the polymerization of
thousands of monomer molecules. Table 7.1 lists the characteristics of chain
polymerization as compared with step polymerization. The chain polymerization
starts with an active center responsible for the growth of the chain which is asso-
ciated with a single polymer molecule through the addition of many monomer units.
Thus polymeric molecules are formed from the beginning, and almost no inter-
mediate species between monomer and high molecular weight polymer are found.
Chain polymerization is initiated by a reactive species R* produced from an
initiator I:
I ! R ð7:1Þ
The reactive species, which may be a free radical, cation, or anion, adds to a
monomer molecule by opening the p-bond to form a new radical, cation, or anion
center. The process is repeated as many more monomer molecules are successively
added to continuously propagate the reactive center as the following:
H H H
H2 C CHY H2 C CHY
R* R CH2 C* R CH2 C CH2 C*
Y Y Y
H H
H 2C CHY
R CH2 C CH2 C*
Y n Y
ð7:2Þ
R*: Radical, cationic, anionic.

Polymer growth is terminated at some point by destruction of the reactive
center by an appropriate reaction depending on the type of reactive center and the
particular reaction conditions.

138 7 Radical Chain Polymerization
Table 7.1 Comparison of chain polymerization and step polymerization

Situation Chain polymerization Step polymerization
Molecular weight High molecular weight High molecular weight molecule
formed immediately, formed at the end of reaction,
doesn’t change with time change with time
Monomer concentration Change throughout the Only available in the beginning
course of the reaction of the reaction, then form
dimer, trimer, etc
Any time of the reaction Contain monomer, Beginning—monomer
high polymer, Middle—growing chain
and growing chain End—high polymer
Polymerization step Only monomer and propagation Any two molecules can react
species can react
Reaction time Short Long
Reaction temperature Low High
In this chapter, we only discuss free radical chain polymerization. The ionic
chain polymerization will be discussed in Chap. 8. Table 7.2 lists some common
free radical chain-growth polymers and their uses. The chain-growth polymers
count more than 80 % total usage of polymers in our daily life.

on the Structural Arrangement of Polymer
There are two possible points of attachment on monosubstituted (X = H) or 1,1-

disubstituted monomers for a propagating radical, either on carbon 1 to form I or
on carbon 2 to form II as the following:
X X
R + C CH2 R C CH2
ð7:3Þ
Y Y
X X
R + H 2C C R CH 2 C
ð7:4Þ
Y Y
II
If each successive addition of monomer molecules to the propagating radical

occurs in the same manner as Eqs. 7.3 or 7.4, the final polymer product will have
Table 7.2 Some commercial chain-growth (vinyl) polymers prepared by free radical polymerization [1, 2]
Monomer name Formula Polymer Uses
Ethylene (ethene) H 2C CH 2 Polyethylene Sheets, films, bottles, toys and house wares, wire and cable, coverings,
shipping containers, insulation
Propylene (propene) H2 C CHCH 3 Polypropylene Carpeting, car and truck parts, packaging, toys, house wares, pipes,
insulation
Styrene Polystyrene Packaging and containers (Styrofoam), toys, appliance parts,
H2C CH
disposable food containers and utensils, insulation
Acrylonitrile (propenenitrile) H 2C CHCN Polyacrylonitrile (Orion, Sweaters, clothing, fiber
Acrilan)
Vinyl acetate (ethenyl O Poly(vinyl acetate) Adhesives, latex paints
ethanoate) H 2C CH OCCH 3
Methyl methacrylate (methyl 2- O Poly(methyl methacrylate) Lens, windows, coatings
methylpropenoate) H 2C CCH3 COCH 3 (Plexiglas, Lucite)
Vinyl chloride (chloroethene) H2 C CHCl Poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC) Plastic pipe and pipe fittings, films and sheets, floor tile, records,
coatings, building materials, insulation
Tetrafluoroethylene F2 C CF 2 Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) Coatings for utensils, electric insulators, battery, solar cell
(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon)
139
an arrangement of monomer units in which the substituents are on alternate carbon

atoms as shown in Eq. 7.5:
X X X X X X
CH 2 C CH 2 C CH2 C CH2 C CH 2 C CH 2 C
ð7:5Þ
Y Y Y Y Y Y
III
This type of arrangement III is usually referred to as a head-to-tail (H–T) or

1,3-placement of monomer units. An inversion of this mode of addition, by the
polymer chain propagating alternately via Eqs. 7.3 and 7.4, would lead to a
polymer structure with a 1,2-placement of substituents at one or more places in the
final polymer chain. The 1,2-placement is usually referred to as head-to-head (H–
H) placement as shown in Eq. 7.6.
head-to-head
X X X X X X
CH2 C CH2 C CH 2 C C CH 2 CH2 C CH2 C

ð7:6Þ
Y Y Y Y Y Y
tail-to-tail
The head-to-tail placement is predominant, since successive propagations by

Eq. 7.4 are favored on both steric and resonance grounds. The propagating radical
(radical II) formed by attachment of a radical at carbon 2 is the more stable one.
The radical II can be stabilized by the resonance effects of the X and Y substituents.
The substituents cannot stabilize radical I, since they are not attached to the carbon
bearing the unpaired electron. Furthermore, the attachment of a propagating rad-
ical at the unsubstituted carbon 2 of a monomer molecule is much less sterically
hindered compared with the attachment at the substituted carbon 1. A propagation
proceeding with predominantly H–T placement is a regioselective process, that is,
one orientation (H–T) is favored over another (H–H). The term isoregic has been
used to indicate a polymer structure with exclusive head-to-tail placements. The
terms syndioregic and aregic are used for polymer structures with alternating and
random arrangements, respectively, of H–T and H–H placements.
These theoretical predictions have been experimentally verified for a number of
polymers. The presence of no more than 1–2 % head-to-head placement in various
polymers of vinyl esters such as poly (vinyl acetate) has been determined by
hydrolysis of the polymer to poly(vinyl alcohol) and the periodate oxidation of the
1,2-glycol units (see Sect. 5.2.1). Other polymers with head-to-head arrangement
have been determined by 19F, 13C, and 1HNMR analysis.
The H–T propagation is indeed the predominant ([98–99 %) mode of propa-
gation in chain polymerization. For instance, the synthesis of styrene, there is no
7.1 Effect of Chemical Structure of Monomer 141
Table 7.3 The extent of H– Reaction % Head–Head

H replacement in fluoro
polymers [3] C=CF ? (–C–CF–)n 10
C=CF2 ? (–C–CF2–)n 5
CF=CF2 ? (–CF–CF2–)n 12
CFCl=CF2 ? (–CFCl–CF2–)n 2
Table 7.4 Reaction Polymer Temperature (°C) % Head–Head

temperature effect on the
extent of H–H replacement of Poly(vinyl acetate) 40 1
polymer [3] 100 2
Poly(trifluoro ethylene) -80 10
80 14
detectable H–H placement of polystyrene. The only exceptions occur when the
substituents on the double bond are small (and do not offer appreciable steric
hindrance to the approaching radical) and do not have a significant resonance
stabilizing effect, specifically when fluorine is the substituent. Table 7.3 shows the
extent of H–H placements of fluoro polymers.
By increasing the polymerization temperature, the extent of H–H placement is
increased, but the effect is small. Table 7.4 shows the compositions of polymers
with the effects from reaction temperature.
Some polymers consisting entirely of head-to-head (H–H) placements have
been deliberately synthesized to determine if significant property differences exist
compared to the head-to-tail polymers. The synthetic approach involves an
appropriate choice of monomer for the particular H–H polymer. For example, H–H
poly (vinyl chloride) was obtained by chlorination of 1,4-poly-1,3-butadiene
(Eq. 7.7).
Cl Cl
Cl2
CH2 CH CH CH2 CH2 CH CH CH2
ð7:7Þ
n n
H–H polystyrene was obtained by hydrogenation of 1,4-poly-2,3-diphenylbu-

tadiene (Eq. 7.8).
H2
CH 2 C C CH2 CH 2 CH CH CH 2
n n
ð7:8Þ
7.2 Initiators of Radical Chain Polymerization
Ideally, the initiators should be relatively stable at room temperature but should
decompose rapidly enough at polymer processing condition to ensure a practical
reaction rate. A large number of free radical initiators are available [2–4]; they may
be classified into three major types: (1) thermal initiators including peroxides and
azo compounds, (2) redox initiators, and (3) photoinitiators, certain compounds
that form radicals under influence of light. Electrons can be used as initiating agent
to generate radical ions for chain polymerization.
7.2.1 Thermal Initiators
The most commonly used peroxide is benzoyl peroxide 1, which undergoes

thermal homolysis to form benzoyloxy radicals (Eq. 7.9). The benzoyloxy radicals
may undergo a variety of reactions besides adding to monomer, including
recombination (reverse of Eq. 7.9), decomposition to phenyl radicals and carbon
dioxide (Eq. 7.10), and radical combination (Eqs. 7.11 and 7.12). These secondary
reactions occur because of the confining effect of solvent molecules (cage effect),
and as a result, the concentration of initiator radicals is depleted. Another
‘‘wastage’’ of initiator reaction is induced decomposition (Eq. 7.13).
O O O
C O O C 2 C O
ð7:9Þ
O
ð7:10Þ
C O + CO2
2 ð7:11Þ
O O
C O
ð7:12Þ
C O +
7.2 Initiators of Radical Chain Polymerization 143
O O
C O O C +
O O O O
C O O C C O + O C
ð7:13Þ
Two other common peroxide initiators are diacetyl peroxide 2 and di-t-butyl
peroxide 3.
O O CH3 CH3
H3C C O O C CH3 H3C C O O C CH3

CH3 CH3
2 3
Hydroperoxides such as cumyl hydroperoxide 4 decompose to form alkoxy and
hydroxyl radicals (Eq. 7.14). Because hydroperoxides contain an active hydrogen
atom, induced decomposition occurs readily, for example, by a chain-end radical
(Eq. 7.15). Peroxy radicals may also combine with subsequent formation of
oxygen (Eq. 7.16).
OOH
C(CH 3)2
4
ROOH RO + OH (7.14)
RO CH 2 CH CH 2 CH + ROOH RO CH 2 CH CH 2 CH 2 + ROO
R' n R' R' n R'
ð7:15Þ
2 ROO ROO OOR 2 RO + O2 ð7:16Þ
The extent of side reactions depends on the structure of peroxide, the stability
of the initially formed radicals, and the reactivity of the monomers.
a, a0 -Azobis(isobutyronitrile) 5, is the most widely used azo compound which
decomposes at relatively low temperatures. The driving force for decomposition is
the formation of nitrogen and the resonance-stabilized cyanopropyl radical
(Eq. 7.17). The initially formed radicals can also combine in the solvent cage to
deplete initiator concentration as with the peroxide decomposition. The combination
of the radicals leads to both tetramethylsuccinonitrile 6 (Eq. 7.18) and the keteni-
mine 7 (Eq. 7.19).
CN CN CN
(CH 3) 2C N N C(CH 3) 2 2 (CH3 )2 C + N2

ð7:17Þ
CN CN (7.18)
(H3C)2C C(CH3)2
CN
6
2 (CH3) 2C
CN
(CH3) 2C C N C(CH3)2 (7.19)
7
The stability of thermal initiator is expressed by their half-life at different
temperature as discussed below.
7.2.2 Decomposition Temperature and Half-Life of Thermal

Initiators
The thermal, homolytic dissociation of initiators is the most widely used mode of
generating radicals to initiate polymerization for both commercial polymerization
and theoretical studies. Polymerizations initiated in this manner are often referred
to as thermal initiated or thermal catalyzed polymerizations. Thermal initiators are
usually having dissociation energies in the range 100–170 kJ mol-1. Compounds
with higher or lower dissociation energies will dissociate too slowly or too rapidly.
Only a few classes of compounds—including those with O–O, S–S, or N=N
bonds—possess the desired range of dissociation energies. The peroxides are most
extensively used as radical sources. Several common peroxy compounds are
tabulated in Table 7.5.
The differences in the decomposition rates of various initiators are conveniently
expressed in terms of the initiator half-life (t1=2 ) defined as the time for the
concentration of I to decrease to one half its original value. The rate of initiator
disappearance is
d½I
¼ kd ½I ð7:20Þ
dt
Table 7.5 Peroxides and their decomposition temperature [3]

Peroxide Decomposition
temperature (oC)
O O O 70–90
H3C C O O C CH 3 2 H3C C O
Acyl peroxide
O O O 80–95
C O O C 2 C O
Benzoyl peroxide
CH 3 CH3 CH 3 120–140
C O O C 2 C O
CH 3 CH3 CH 3
Cumyl peroxide
CH3 CH 3 CH 3 120–140
H 3C C O O C CH3 2 H3C C O
CH3 CH 3 CH 3
Di-t-butyl peroxide
with integration yields
½I ¼ ½I0 ekd t ð7:21aÞ

or
½I0
ln ¼ kd t ð7:21bÞ
½I
where ½I0 is the initiator concentration at the start of polymerization. t1=2 is
obtained by setting ½I ¼ ½I 0 =2, then
0:693
t1=2 ¼ ð7:22Þ
kd
Table 7.6 lists the initiator half-life for several common initiators at various
temperatures. The peroxides are rather unstable. They should store in the refrig-
erator to prolong their shelf life. Azobis (isobutyronitrile), benzoyl peroxide, and
acetyl peroxide are decomposed at relatively low temperature, so they usually add
into monomer right before the polymerization to avoid any premature decompo-
sition and polymerization. t-Butyl peroxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide are
146
Table 7.6 Half-life of initiators [3]

Initiator Half-Life at
50oC 60oC 70oC 85oC 100oC 115oC 130oC 145oC 155oC 175oC
Azobis (isobutyronitrile) 74 h 4.8 h 7.2 min
Benzoyl peroxide 7.3 h 1.4 h 19.8 min
Acetyl peroxide 158 h 8.1 h 1.1 h
Lauryl peroxide 47.7 h 12.8 h 3.5 h 31 min
t-Butyl peracetate 88 h 12.5 h 1.9 h 18 min
Cumyl peroxide 13 h 1.7 h 16.8 min
t-Butyl peroxide 218 h 34 h 6.4 h 1.38 h
t-Butyl hydroperoxide 338 h 44.9 h 4.81 h
7 Radical Chain Polymerization
decomposed at high temperature. They can be mixed with monomer and stored in
room temperature without premature reaction for more than 3 months.
7.2.3 Initiation Promoters
Decomposition of peroxides can be induced at lower temperatures by the addition

of promoters. For example, addition of N, N-dimethylaniline to benzoyl peroxide
causes the latter to decompose rapidly at room temperature. Kinetics studies
indicate that the decomposition involves formation of an unstable ionic interme-
diate (Eq. 7.23) that reacts further to give benzoyloxy radical and a radical cation
(Eq. 7.24).
O O
C O O C + N(CH3)2
O CH3 O
C O N + C O
CH3
ð7:23Þ
O CH3 O H3C N CH3

C O N C O +
CH3
ð7:24Þ
7.2.4 Redox Initiators
The redox initiators are useful in initiation of low temperature polymerization and
emulsion polymerization. Reaction rates are easy to control by varying the con-
centration of metal ion or peroxide. For nonaqueous polymerization, metal ions:
Co2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, and Fe2+ are generally introduced as the naphthenates shown in
below. Cobalt naphthenate is commonly used as unsaturated polyester (Alkyd
resin) drying agents for the autoxidative crosslinking of the double bond.
n
Fe 2+
m
O
Iron Naphthenate
Some typical examples of redox initiators are given in Eqs. 7.25–7.27. They
have been used in the emulsion copolymerization of styrene and butadiene to form
styrene—butadiene rubber in low temperature. Hydrogen peroxide or persulfate
systems, Eqs. 7.26 and 7.27, are used in the emulsion polymerization. They can
produce radicals in an aqueous phase.
OOH O
2+
Fe3+
ð7:25Þ
C(CH3) 2 + Fe C(CH3) 2 + OH- +
HOOH + Fe 2 + HO + OH - + Fe3+ ð7:26Þ
-O SOOSO - + SO42- +
3 3 + S 2O 32- SO 4- S2O3 - ð7:27Þ
7.2.5 Photoinitiators
Peroxides and azo compounds dissociate photolytically as well as thermally. The

major advantage of photoinitiation is that the reaction is essentially independent of
temperature. Furthermore, better control of the polymerization reaction is gener-
ally possible because narrow wavelength bands may be used to initiate decom-
position (less side reactions), and the reaction can be stopped simply by removing
the light source. The reaction is fast (s vs. min) as compared to the thermal
initiation. A wide variety of photolabile compounds are available, including
disulfides (Eq. 7.28), benzoin 8 (Eq. 7.29), and benzyl 9 (Eq. 7.30). Table 7.7 lists
some commercial available photoinitiators and their decomposition wavelength. It
is interesting to note that most of the initiators contain benzoyl group which can
form stable benzoyl radical through the resonance stabilization of phenyl ring.
Table 7.7 Commercial photoinitiators and their initiated wavelength [5]

Chemicals kmax ðnmÞ
1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone 245
2-methyl-1-[4-(methylthio)phenyl)-2-(4-morpholinyl)-1-propanone 307
2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-1-[4-(4-morpholinyl)phenyl]-1-butanone 324
hν
RSSR 2 RS ð7:28Þ
O OH hv O OH
C CH C + CH ð7:29Þ
O O O
hν
C C 2 C ð7:30Þ
7.2.6 Electrochemical Initiation
Electrolysis of a solution containing both monomer and electrolyte can be used to

initiate polymerization. At the cathode an electron may be transferred to a
monomer molecule to form a radical anion (Eq. 7.31), and at the anode a monomer
molecule may give up an electron to form a radical cation (Eq. 7.32). The radical
ions in turn initiate free radical or ionic polymerization or both, depending on
electrolysis conditions.
RHC CH2 + e- RHC CH2 ð7:31Þ
RHC CH2 RHC CH2 + e- ð7:32Þ

7.3 Techniques of Free Radical Chain Polymerization
Free radical polymerization can be accomplished in bulk, suspension, solution, or

emulsion. Ionic and other nonradical polymerizations are usually confined to
solution techniques. Each of the methods has advantages and disadvantages, as
outlined in Table 7.8.
7.3.1 Bulk Polymerization
The bulk polymerization is the simplest polymerization reaction without con-

tamination of solvent and other impurities or using especial equipment. However,
it is usually difficult to control due to the exothermic polymerization reaction.
When polymer is insoluble in monomer, polymer precipitates and the viscosity of
the medium does not change appreciably. The polymer droplet may contain free
radicals that can lead to autoacceleration—a rapid increase in the polymerization
rate. The bulk polymerization is usually used in the casting large sheet of PMMA
plastics or in the low molecular weight polymers synthesis for applications in
adhesives, plasticizers, tackifiers, etc.
7.3.2 Suspension Polymerization
The suspension polymerization involves mechanically dispersing monomer in a

noncompatible liquid, usually water. Then, the resultant monomer droplets are
polymerized by use of a monomer soluble initiator. Monomer is kept in suspension
Table 7.8 Free radical polymerization techniques

Method Advantages Disadvantages
Bulk Simple; no contaminants added Reaction exotherm difficult to control;
high viscosity
Suspension Heat readily dispersed; low viscosity; Washing and/or drying required;
polymer obtained in granular form agglomeration may occur;
and may be used directly contamination by stabilizer
Solution Heat readily dispersed; low viscosity; Added cost of solvent; solvent difficult to
may be used directly as solution remove; possible chain transfer with
solvent; possible environmental
pollution
Emulsion Heat readily dispersed; low viscosity; Contamination by emulsifier and other
high molecular weight obtainable; ingredients; chain transfer agents
may be used directly as emulsion; often needed to control degree of
works on tacky polymers polymerization; washing and drying
necessary for bulk polymer
7.3 Techniques of Free Radical Chain Polymerization 151
by continuous agitation and the use of stabilizers such as polyvinyl alcohol

or methyl cellulose (ether). Granular beads are obtained which are easy to handle
and can be isolated by filtration, etc. Polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), and
poly(methyl methacrylate) have been prepared by this method.
7.3.3 Solution Polymerization
Like suspension, solution polymerization allows efficient heat transfer. Solvent

must be chosen carefully to avoid chain transfer reactions that may limit the
growth of molecular weight of polymer. Apart from the environmental concerns
associated with organic solvents, a major problem in solution polymerization is
that it is often difficult to remove solvent. As a result, supercritical carbon dioxide
has been used to do the polymerization as a solvent. However, it is only suitable
for polar monomers such as acrylates; there is need for more development work for
other monomers.
7.3.4 Emulsion Polymerization
Emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization are two water-based

heterogeneous polymerizations that are used extensively to control the thermal,
viscosity, and environmental problems of polymer industry. However, they are
quite different in the components and behaviors in the polymerization. The
comparison between the two polymerization processes is summarized in
Table 7.9. The major difference between the two polymerizations is the reaction
site, micelle for emulsion polymerization, and monomer for suspension
polymerization.
When the concentration of a surfactant exceeds its critical micelle concentration
(CMC), the excess surfactant molecules aggregate together to form small colloidal
Table 7.9 Comparison between suspension polymerization and emulsion polymerization [3]
Component/Characteristic Emulsion Suspension
Particle size 1–10 lm monomer 5–500 lm monomer droplets
2–10 nm micelle
Monomer/water ratio 30/70 to 60/40 25/75 to 50/50
Surfactant 0.2–3 % in micelle form 0.1 %
Initiator Water soluble Oil soluble
Water-soluble stabilizer None [1 %
Product particle size 0.05–0.2 lm 0.5–10 lm
Phase One Two
Polymerization site Micelle Monomer
clusters called micelles. Typical micelles have dimensions of 2–10 nm, with each
micelle containing 50–150 surfactant molecules. The largest portion of the
monomer ([95 %) is dispersed as monomer droplets whose size depends on the
stirring rate. Monomer droplets have diameters in the range 1–100 lm. Thus, in a
typical emulsion polymerization system, the monomer droplets are much larger
than the monomer-containing micelles. Consequently, while the concentration
of micelles is 1019–1021 L-1, the concentration of monomer droplets is at most
1012–1014 L-1. A further difference between micelles and monomer droplets is that
the total surface area of the micelles is larger than that of the droplets by more than
two orders of magnitude.
Polymerization takes place exclusively in micelle. Monomer droplets do not
compete effectively with micelles in capturing radicals produced in solution
because of the much smaller total surface area of the droplets. The micelles act as a
meeting place for the organic (oil soluble) monomer and the water-soluble initi-
ator. The micelles are favored as the reaction site because of their high monomer
concentration compared to the monomer in solution. As polymerization proceeds,
the micelles grow by the addition of monomer from the aqueous solution whose
concentration is replenished by dissolution of monomer from the monomer
droplets. A simplified schematic representation of an emulsion polymerization
system is shown in Fig. 7.1. The system consists of three types of particles:
monomer droplets, inactive micelles in which polymerization is not occurring, and
active micelles in which polymerization are occurring. The latter are no longer
considered as micelles but are referred to as polymer particles. An emulsifier
molecule is shown as s— to indicate one end (s) is polar or ionic and the other
end (—) is nonpolar.
Fig. 7.1 Simplified representation of an emulsion polymerization system [3]

7.4 Reaction Mechanism of Free Radical Chain Polymerization 153
7.4 Reaction Mechanism of Free Radical Chain

Polymerization
Two reactions are involved in the initiation of free radical chain polymerization:
formation of the initiator radical (Eq. 7.33), and addition of the initiator radical to
monomer (Eq. 7.34). The end group analysis of propagating chain shows the initi-
ator radicals are incorporated into the polymer. The propagation reactions comprise
addition of monomer radical to another monomer molecule, followed by successive
additions of oligomer and polymer radicals to available monomer (Eq. 7.35).
Initiator R ð7:33Þ
R + H 2C CH R CH2 CH
ð7:34Þ
Y Y
R CH2 CH + H2C CH R CH2 CH CH2 CH
Y Y Y Y
n H 2C CHY R CH2 CH CH2 CH CH2 CH
Y Y n Y
ð7:35Þ
Propagation continues until some reaction occurs to terminate it. Two radicals
are easily be terminated by a combination (coupling) reaction as shown in Eq. 7.36.
H H H H
k tc
CH 2C + CCH2 CH2 C C CH2 ð7:36Þ
Y Y Y Y
On the other hand, more rarely, they can be terminated by a disproportionation

reaction, in which a hydrogen radical that is beta to one radical center is trans-
ferred to another radical center. This results in the formation of two polymer
molecules—one saturated and one unsaturated as shown in Eq. 7.37:
H H
k td
CH CH + CH2 CH2
CH2 C + CCH 2
Y Y
Y Y
ð7:37Þ
The two different modes of termination can be represented in general term by

ktc
Mn þMm ! Mnþm ð7:38Þ
ktd
Mn þMm ! Mn þ Mm ð7:39Þ
where ktc and ktd are the rate constants for termination by coupling and dispro-
portionation, respectively. One can also express the termination step by
Mn þMm ! dead polymer ð7:40Þ
where the particular mode of termination is not specified and
kt ¼ aktc þ ð1 aÞktd ð7:41Þ
where a and ð1 aÞ are the fractions of termination by coupling and dispropor-
tionation, respectively.
Typical termination rate constants are in the range of 106–108 dL mol-1 s-1 or
orders of magnitude greater than the propagation rate constants. The much greater
value of kt (whether ktc or ktd ) compared to kp does not prevent propagation
because the radical species are present in very low concentrations and the poly-
merization rate is only dependent on the one half power of kt . Thus, whether
termination occurs by coupling or by disproportionation depends on monomer
structure or, more exactly, on the structure of the chain-end radical, e.g., steric
repulsion, electrostatic repulsion (raise the activation energy for coupling), and
availability of alpha hydrogen. Polystyryl radicals undergo coupling (Eq. 7.42)
almost exclusively at low temperatures, whereas poly(methyl methacrylate) radi-
cals undergo mainly disproportionation (Eq. 7.43). The polystyryl radical is more
reactive than methacrylate radical due to the resonance stabilization, so it will
undergo coupling instead of disproportionation.
H H H
2 CH 2 C CH2 C C CH2
ð7:42Þ
7.4 Reaction Mechanism of Free Radical Chain Polymerization 155
CH 3 CH 3 CH 3
2 CH 2C CH 2CH + CH C
CO2CH3 CO2CH3 CO 2CH3

ð7:43Þ
CH2
or CH 2 C
CO 2CH 3
Another possible termination reaction involves combination of initiator radicals

with chain end radicals (Eq. 7.44) called primary radical termination. This process
occurs at high initiator concentration or high viscosity that limits the diffusion of
polymer radicals.
CH2CH + R CH2CHR
ð7:44Þ
Y Y
7.5 Kinetics of Free Radical Chain Polymerization
Radical chain polymerization is a chain reaction consisting of a sequence of three

steps—initiation, propagation, and, termination. The initiation step involves two
reactions (Eqs. 7.45 and 7.46). The first is the production of free radicals by
homolytic dissociation of an initiator species I to yield a pair of radicals R
kd
I ! 2R ð7:45Þ
where kd is the rate constant for the catalyst dissociation. The second part of the
initiation involves the addition of this radical to the first monomer molecule to
produce radical M1
ki
R þM ! M1 ð7:46Þ
Propagation consists of the growth of Mn by the successive additions of large
numbers (hundreds and perhaps thousands) of monomer molecules. Each addition
creates a new radical that has the same identity as the one previously, except that it
is larger by one monomer unit. The successive additions may be represented by
kp
Mn þ M ! Mnþ1 ð7:47Þ
Monomer disappears by the initiation reaction (Eq. 7.45) as well as by the
propagation (Eq. 7.46). The rate of monomer disappearance, also called the rate
of polymerization, is given by
d½M
¼ R i þ Rp ð7:48Þ
dt
where Ri and Rp are the rates of initiation and propagation, respectively. However,
the number of monomer molecules reacting in the initiation step is far less than the
number in the propagation step for a process producing high polymer. Thus, the
rate of initiation can be neglected and the polymerization rate is given simply by
the rate of propagation. The rate of propagation, and therefore the rate of poly-
merization, is the sum of many individual propagation steps. Since the rate con-
stants for all the propagation steps are the same, one can express the
polymerization rate by
d½M
¼ Rp ¼ kp ½M½M ð7:49Þ
dt
where ½M is the monomer concentration and ½M is the total concentration of all
chain radicals, that is, all radicals of size M 1 and larger.
The polymerization rate (Eq. 7.49) is not directly usable because it contains a
term of radical concentration. Radical concentrations are difficult to measure
quantitatively, since they are very low (*10-8M), and it is therefore desirable to
eliminate ½M from Eq. 7.49. In order to do this, one can use steady-state
assumption: the concentration of radicals increases initially, but almost instanta-
neously reaches a constant, steady-state value. That means the rate of change of
the concentration of radicals is zero during the course of the polymerization.
Therefore, the rates of initiation Ri and termination Rt of radicals are equal
Rt ¼ Ri ¼ 2kt ½M2 ð7:50Þ

Rearrange Eq. 7.50 to obtain
1=2
Ri
½M ¼ ð7:51Þ
2kt
and substitute Eq. 7.51 into Eq. 7.49 that yields the rate of polymerization
equation.
Rp ¼ kp ½MðRi =2kt Þ1=2 ð7:52Þ
7.5.1 Rate of Polymerization
The rate of polymerization equation can be modified to include the initiator effi-
ciency (f) as shown in Eq. 7.53. The equation indicates the polymerization rate is
proportional to the square root of initiator concentration and to the first power of
monomer concentration. Thus, doubling the initiator concentration causes the rate
7.5 Kinetics of Free Radical Chain Polymerization 157
Table 7.10 Representative propagation and termination rate constants, kp and kt [2]
Monomer Temperature (°C) kp kt 9 10-6
(L/mol-s) (L/mol-s)
Acrylonitrile 60 1,960 782
Ethylene 83 240 540
Methyl acrylate 60 2,090 9.5
Methyl methacrylate 60 515 25.5
Styrene 60 176 72
Vinyl acetate 50 2,640 116.8
Vinyl chloride 50 11,000 2,100
Tetrafluoroethylene 40 7,400 7.4 9 10-5
to increase by a factor of about 1.4. This relationship has been confirmed experi-
mentally for a variety of free radical polymerizations. Propagation and termination
rate constants, for several commercially important monomers are given in
Table 7.10. The tetrafluoroethylene has an extremely low kt which results in higher
molecular weight polymer as compared with the polymerization of ethylene.
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
fkd ½I
Rp ¼ kp ½M ð7:53Þ
kt
7.5.2 Average Kinetic Chain Length m
Another important parameter related to polymerization rate is the average kinetic

chain length, m, which is defined as the average number of monomer units poly-
merized per chain initiated, which is equal to the rate of polymerization per rate of
initiation. Since Ri ¼ Rt under steady-state conditions,
Rp Rp
m¼ ¼ ð7:54Þ
Ri Rt
Substituting for Rp and Rt into Eq. 7.54:
kp ½M ½M kp ½ M
m¼ 2
¼ ð7:55Þ
2kt ½M 2kt ½M
Substituting the expression for ½M from Eq. 7.51,

kp ½M
m¼ ð7:56Þ
2ðfkt kd ½IÞ1=2
Kinetic chain length is related to a variety of rate and concentration parameters.
It will decrease as both of initiator concentration and initiator efficiency increase.
This is reasonable because increasing the number of growing chains increases the
probability of termination. Thus, varying initiator concentration can control
molecular weight. In the absence of any side reactions, kinetic chain length is
related directly to degree of polymerization depending on the mode of termination.
If termination occurs exclusively by disproportionation, DP ¼ m; if it occurs by
coupling, DP ¼ 2m.
Autoacceleration, a marked increase in polymerization rate, can occur at very
viscous medium even though the chain mobility is reduced and the termination is
reduced. The small monomer molecules can still diffuse to the active chain ends to
be polymerized. Autoacceleration may cause processing difficulties, particularly in
bulk polymerizations, because the increase in rate is usually accompanied by an
increase in reaction exotherm and gelation of polymer.
7.5.3 Chain Transfer Reactions
Chain transfer reactions are the process transferring the growing polymer chain to
another species which terminates the chain, but at the same time generates a new
radical. The chain transfer reactions result in low molecular weight polymer and
broad molecular weight distributions. Chain transfer can occur among polymer,
monomer, initiator, solvent in the reaction mixture. Equations 7.57 and 7.58 show
the polymer inter- and intrachain transfer reactions, respectively. A chain-end
radical may abstract a hydrogen atom from a chain, leading to a reactive site for
chain branching (Eq. 7.57).
CH + CH2CH CH2 + CH2C
Y Y Y Y
H 2C CHY
CH2CHY
CH2C
Y
ð7:57Þ
Hydrogen abstraction may also occur intramolecularly, a process referred to as

backbiting. Polyethylene, produced by high-pressure free radical polymerization
of ethylene, is highly branched through backbiting involving five- or six-mem-
bered cyclic transition states (Eq. 7.58). The properties of branched polymers are
expected to differ remarkably from those of the corresponding linear polymers as
we discussed in Chaps. 3 and 4.
CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2
CH C H2 CH CH 2 ð7:58Þ
H CH 2 CH 3
Chain transfer may also occur with initiator (Eq. 7.59) or monomer (Eq. 7.60),
or it may take place with solvent. Polystyrene prepared in carbon tetrachloride, for
example, contains chlorine at the chain end of polymer due to chlorine transfer
(Eq. 7.61) and initiation by the resultant CCl3 radicals (Eq. 7.62). Transfer to
monomer is particularly important with monomers containing allylic hydrogen,
such as propylene, because the formation of resonance-stabilized allylic radicals
(Eq. 7.63) is highly favorable. Thus, high-molecular-weight polypropylene cannot
be prepared using conventional free radical polymerization described here. The
coordination polymerization is used to obtain high molecular weight polypropyl-
ene (detailed in Chap. 9).
ROOR CH 2CHOR + RO (7.59)
CH 2CH Y
Y H2 C CHY CH2CH2 + H2C CY (7.60)

Y
H H
CH2C + CCl4 CH2CCl + CCl3
ð7:61Þ
H2C CH + CCl3 Cl3CCH2 CH etc .
ð7:62Þ
CH3 CH3
CH2CH + H3CHC CH2 CH2CH2 + CH2 CH CH2
ð7:63Þ
From the molecular weight control point of view, the chain transfer agent plays
the most effective way. For instance, a thiol compound has been used widely as
chain transfer agent due to its high affinity for hydrogen transfer as
CH2 CH + RSH CH2 CH2 + RS

ð7:64Þ
Y Y
When a chain transfer agent is used in polymerization, it is necessary to

redefine the kinetic chain length as being the ratio of propagation rate to the
combined rates of termination and transfer, as
Rp
mtr ¼ ð7:65Þ
Ri þ Rtr
Since transfer reactions are second order, with
Rtr ¼ ktr ½M½T ð7:66Þ
where T is the transfer agent, one can rewrite the expression for mtr , taking into
account all possible transfer reactions, as
kp ½M ½M kp ½ M
mtr ¼ 2 P
¼ P ð7:67Þ
2kt ½M þ ktr ½M½T 2k t ½ M þ ktr ½T
It is known that
kp ½ M
m¼
2kt ½M
One can write the reciprocal of Eq. 7.67 for mtr as
P
1 1 ktr ½T
¼ þ ð7:68Þ
mtr m kp ½ M
The ratio of the transfer rate constant to that of propagation is commonly
defined as the chain transfer constant, CT , for a particular monomer:
ktr
¼ CT ð7:69Þ
kp
Substituting Eq. 7.69 into Eq. 7.68, one obtains
P
1 1 CT ½T
¼ þ ð7:70Þ
mtr m ½M
As the rate of transfer and concentration of the transfer agent increase, the
kinetic chain length becomes progressively smaller. Chain transfer constants for a
number of compounds and monomers are available in the polymer literature,
several of which are given in Table 7.11.
Table 7.11 Representative chain transfer constants CT, propagation rate constants kp, and ter-
mination rate constants kt, for styrene and methyl methacrylate (reaction temperature 60°C) [3]
Transfer Agent CT 9 104
Styrene Methyl Methacrylate
Benzene 0.023 0.04
Toluene 0.125 0.20
Chloroform 0.5 1.77
Carbon tetrachloride 90 2.40
Carbon tetrabromide 22,000 2,700
1-Butanethiol 210,000 6,600
kp (L/mol-s) 176 515
kt 9 10-6 (L/mol-s) 73 25.5
When the concentration of transfer agent is high and ktr is much greater than kp ,
very low molecular weight polymers called telomers are obtained. The process is
called telomerization. Chain transfer reactions can also be used to prevent free
radical polymerizations. One type of compound, added as a stabilizer to vinyl
monomers, is an alkylated phenol 10, which can transfer its phenolic hydrogen to
form a new radical (Eq. 7.71) that undergoes coupling reaction (Eq. 7.72) rather
than initiating polymerization. Such compounds, called inhibitors, are commonly
added to monomers to prevent premature polymerization during shipment or
storage.
OH
R R
R' +
R
10
ð7:71Þ
O O O
R R R R R R
R'H +
R R R
OR' O O
R R R
R R R
R' R' +
+ ð7:72Þ
R R R R'
7.6 Living Polymerization
When the termination reaction is not present in the polymerization of monomers,

we call the polymerization is living polymerization. An important consequence of
living polymerization is that the average degree of polymerization is simply equal
to the ratio of the initial monomer concentration to the initiator concentration as
shown in Eq. 7.73. There are different approaches to achieve living radical
polymerizations which are discussed below.
½M0
DP ¼ ð7:73Þ
½I0
7.6.1 Living Radical Polymerization
The living radical polymerization is also called controlled radical polymerization.

The formal IUPAC name of this type of polymerization is called reversible
deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) [6]. The lifetime in the conventional
radical polymerization is very short (in second) because of the presence of
bimolecular termination. The living radical polymerization can be achieved by
minimizing normal bimolecular termination and prolonging the lifetime of living
polymers. Special mode of reaction for the propagating radicals by either
reversible termination or reversible transfer has been developed [3]. Living radical
polymerization (LRP) with reversible termination generally proceeds as follows:
R-Z R + Z (7.74)
Reactive Stable
radical radical
RM n Propagating radical (7.75)

Z
Bimolecular RMn - Z Dormant species (7.76)

termination
The initiator RZ undergoes homolytic bond breakage to produce one reactive

and one stable free radical (Eq. 7.74). The reactive radicals quickly initiate
polymerization (Eq. 7.75), but the stable radicals are too stable to initiate poly-
merization. However, the stable radicals preserve the propagation chain being
7.6 Living Polymerization 163
living without any termination (Eq. 7.76). For living polymerization, it is impor-
tant to have all the initiator decomposes at once so that all propagating radicals
grow almost at the same time. Fast initiation is important, but it is the fast equi-
librium between the propagating radical and dormant species with an appropriate
equilibrium constant that determines the living characteristics of polymerization.
The equilibrium constant must be low but not too low; that is, the concentration of
propagating radical must be sufficient to achieve a reasonable propagation rate but
not so high that normal bimolecular termination becomes important.
At the beginning of the reaction, the concentrations of propagating and stable
radicals are equal, but they change rapidly with the progress of reactions. The
concentrations of stable radicals are increasing while the concentrations of prop-
agating radicals are decreasing because the reactions are shifted toward more
stable species as shown in Eqs. 7.74 and 7.76. Overall, the concentration of stable
radicals is about four orders higher than that of propagating radicals. The con-
centration of propagating radicals is about the same or lower than the conventional
radical polymerization. The stable radicals function as controlling agent to form
reversible dormant species with propagating radicals. The equilibrium favors the
dormant species by several orders of magnitude as compared with the propagating
radicals. Thus, the concentration of dormant species is about six orders higher than
that of propagating radical. In short summary, the introduction of the dormant
species in the radical polymerization suppresses the bimolecular termination
reaction to have a living polymer. The average life time of the living polymer has
been increased by at least four orders of magnitude. Thus, the living free radical
polymerization becomes possible due to the formation of stable radicals and
reversible dormant species. By sequential living polymerization of one kind of
monomer to another kind of monomer, well-defined block copolymers can be
obtained through living polymerization. The second type of monomers usually has
to add quickly after the first kind monomers are consumed to avoid any bimo-
lecular reactions among propagating radicals. Currently, reversible termination
reactions and reversible chain transfer reactions are employed in the living free
radical polymerizations. They are discussed below.
7.6.2 Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization
The reactions of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), involves an atom

transfer, usually a halogen atom, to form propagating radicals and dormant species
from the complex of atom transfer agent and copper (I) catalyst [6]. For instance,
the polymerization of styrene using 1-chloro-1-phenylethane (11, or the bromo
analog) as initiator in the presence of a copper (I) bipyridyl (bpy) complex. Ini-
tiation occurs when a halogen atom is transferred from 11 to the complex
(Eq. 7.77). The resultant 1-phenylethyl radical in turn adds to a styrene molecule
(Eq. 7.78). The halogen atom is then reversibly transferred to the styryl radical
(Eq. 7.79), thus preventing radical termination reactions from occurring while
allowing the propagation reaction to proceed.
+ Cu(I)(bpy) CH 3 CH +
CH 3CHCl Cu(II)(bpy)Cl
ð7:77Þ
11
CH3CH + H2C CH CH3CHCH2CH

ð7:78Þ
CH3CHCH2CH + Cu(II)(bpy)Cl CH3CHCH2CHCl + Cu(I)(bpy)
ð7:79Þ
7.6.3 Nitroxide-Mediated Polymerization (NMP)
Stable nitroxide radical such as TEMPO 12 can mediate polymerization as shown

in Eq. 7.80. The TEMPO is too stable to initiate polymerization, but it does
promote decomposition of benzoyl peroxide to benzoyloxy radicals which initiate
chain growth. Then TEMPO combines reversibly with the growing polymer chain
ends which protect the chain end radicals from termination. Dissociation in turn
frees the chain end radical to add to other styrene molecules.
H3C CH3 H3C CH3
CH2CH + O N CH2CH O N
ð7:80Þ
H3C CH H3C CH
3 3
12
7.6.4 Radical Addition-Fragmentation Transfer (RAFT)
ATRP and NMP control chain growth by reversible termination. RAFT living
polymerizations control chain growth through reversible chain transfer. A chain-
7.6 Living Polymerization 165
transfer agent R’CSSR, such as cumyl dithiobenzoate 13 reversibly transfer a

labile end group (a dithioester end group) to a propagating chain (Eq. 7.81). The
polymerization is carried out with a conventional initiator such as a peroxide or
AIBN in the presence of the chain-transfer agent. The key that makes RAFT a
living polymerization is the choice of the RAFT transfer agent. Living polymer-
ization occurs with dithioesters because the transferred end group in the polymeric
dithioester is as labile as the dithioester group in R’CSSR. This results in an
equilibrium between dormant polymer chains and propagating radicals (Eq. 7.82
with K = 1), which controls the living polymerization.
CH3
S S
CH3
ðÞ
13
R' R' R'
Mn + + R (7.81)
S SR MnS SR MnS S
R' R' R'

Mm + + Mn ð7:82Þ
S SMn MmS SMn MmS S
RAFT works with a wider range of monomers than TEMPO and ATRP. RAFT
does not produce polymers with metal catalysts but produce polymers with di-
thioester group with odors and colors. The design and synthesis of RAFT agent has
been thoroughly reviewed and outlined. The methods are extended to functional
RAFT agent and macro-RAFT agent [7].
The limitations of living radical polymerization are that irreversible bimolec-
ular termination of propagating radicals will occur at high monomer conversion,
polyfunctional initiators, high initiator concentration, and high target molecular
weight ([100,000).
7.7 Polymerization of Dienes
Polymerization of isolated dienes leads to crosslinked polymers when the double

bonds react independently of each other. In certain cases, the addition reactions
can occur within the double bonds of molecule and lead to cyclic polymers.
Polymerization of divinylformal 14 illustrates this process as shown in Eq. 7.83.
R R
R +
O O O O O O
14
R
O O
ð7:83Þ
The normal (head-to-tail) mode of addition yields the six-membered ring,

whereas abnormal (head-to-head) addition (Eq. 7.84) gives the five-membered
ring. The former is preferred, but both are formed in significant amounts.
R R
ð7:84Þ
O O O O
Several diallyl monomers such as 15 and 16 are used commercially to prepare

highly cross-linked thermosetting allyl resins or for crosslinking other polymers.
Diallyl phthalate 15 is used widely in the manufacturing of printed wiring boards,
electrical insulations, fiber reinforced composites, etc. Diethylene glycol bis (allyl
carbonate) 16 is used to make optical clear polymers for the applications in eye-
wares, lenses, camera filters, panel covers, and the like.
O
O O
O O
O
O 2
O 16
15
Conjugated dienes such as 1,3-butadiene 17 undergo both 1,2- and 1,4-addition
to obtain polymers through the delocalized radical intermediate 18 (Eq. 7.85).
Thus 1,2-addition gives polymer 19 with pendant vinyl groups, while 1,4-addition
leads to polymer with unsaturation in the chain. In the latter case, both cis 20 and
trans 21 configurations are possible.
7.7 Polymerization of Dienes 167
R
CH2 CH CH CH2 R CH2 CH CH CH2
17 18
CH 2CH CH 2 CH2 CH2 H ð7:85Þ
CH CH2 H H H CH2
19 20 21
With substituted dienes like isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) the situation is

more complicated; 1,2 and 3,4 structures (22 and 23, respectively) as well as cis-
and trans-1,4 (24 and 25), are possible. All are formed in free radical polymeri-
zation but as expected the head-to-tailtrans-1,4 25 predominates. Natural Hevea
rubber contains the head-to-tail of 1,4-polyisoprene units with cis structure 24.
CH3
CH2CH
CH 2C
C CH2
CH CH2 CH3
22 23
CH2 CH2 CH2 H
CH3 H CH3 CH2

24 25
Table 7.12 lists the percentages of each structural unit at different polymeri-
zation temperatures for the three most important diene monomers—butadiene,
isoprene, and chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene). It is interesting to note that,
for isoprene, the amount of cis-1,4 structure increases with increasing temperature
up to about 100 °C, then it decreases. The total amount of 1,2 and 3,4 polymer
(approximately 10 %) does not change appreciably with temperature; however, the
3,4 structure is favored at higher temperatures. With chloroprene, the trans-1,4
structure also decreases with increasing temperature, but the amount of trans-1,4 is
slightly higher than that of isoprene over the temperature range measured. The
results may be from the larger size of Cl group than that of CH3 group, a steric
hinderance dominated factor.
Table 7.12 Compositions of free radical-initiated diene polymers [2]

Monomer Polymerization Percent
temperature(°C)
cis-1,4 trans-1,4 1,2 3,4
Butadiene -20 6 77 17 –
20 22 58 20 –
100 28 51 21 –
233 43 39 18 –
Isoprene -20 1 90 5 4
-5 7 82 5 5
50 18 72 5 5
100 23 66 5 6
257 12 77 2 9
Chloroprene -46 5 94 1 0.3
46 10 81–86 2 1
100 13 71 2.4 2.4
7.8 Temperature Effect of the Free Radical Polymerization
By varying the polymerization temperature, there is big effect on the rate and
degree of polymerization [3]. When the temperature increases, the rate of poly-
merization increases, but the degree of polymerization decreases as shown in
Fig. 7.2. The quantitative effect of temperature is complicated and is discussed in
the following sections.
Fig. 7.2 Dependence of the

polymerization rate (s) and
polymer molecular weight 20.0 20.0
Weight-average molecular weight, M w x 10-6
(h) on the temperature for

10.0 10.0
Rate of polymerization, % / hour
the thermal self-initiated

polymerization of styrene [3]
5.0 5.0
2.0 2.0
1.0 1.0
0.5 0.5
0.2 0.2
0.1 0.1
0. 05 0.05
2.3 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1

1
X10 3(1/K)
T
7.8 Temperature Effect 169
7.8.1 Activation Energy and Frequency Factor
The quantitative effect of temperature on rate of polymerization (Rp ) and degree of

polymerization (X n Þ is very complex since they depend on a combination of three
rate constants of initiation (kd Þ, propagation (kp Þ and termination (kt Þ. Each of the
rate constants can be expressed by an Arrhenius equation
k ¼ AeE=RT ð7:86Þ
or
E
ln k ¼ ln A ð7:87Þ
RT
where A is the collision frequency factor, E the Arrhenius activation energy, and
T the kelvin temperature. A plot of ln k versus 1/T allows the determination of both
E and A from the slope and intercept, respectively. Table 7.13 shows the values of
the frequency factor and activation energy of propagation (Ep ) and termination (Et )
of several monomers.
The variations in the values of the frequency factor of propagation (Ap ) are
greater than those in Ep which indicates that steric effects are probably the more
important factor to determine the absolute value of kp . Thus, the more hindered
monomers such as methyl methacrylate have lower kp and Ap values than the less
hindered ones such as methyl acrylate. The Ap values in general are lower than the
usual value (1011–1013) of the frequency factor of a bimolecular reaction. The
result is probably due to a large decrease in entropy on polymerization. The
variations in the values of the frequency factor of termination (At ), generally
follow the trend of Ap values, but with larger values.
Table 7.13 Kinetic parameters in radical chain polymerizationa [3]

Monomer Ep Ap 9 10-7 Et At 9 10-9
1,3-Butadiene 24.3 12 – –
2-Vinylpyridine 33 – 21 –
Acrylonitrile 16.2 – 15.5 –
Ethylene 18.4 – 1.3 –
Methyl acrylate 29.7 10 22.2 15
Methyl methacrylate 26.4 0.087 11.9 0.11
Styrene 26 0.45 8.0 0.058
Vinyl acetate 18 3.2 21.9 3.7
Vinyl chloride (50°C) 16 0.33 17.6 600
Tetrafluoroethylene(83°C) 17.4 – – –
a
Ep values are in kJ/mole of polymerizing monomer; Et values are in kJ/mole of propagating
radicals; Ap and At values are in liters/mole-second. The data are obtained at 60°C unless
otherwise noted
7.8.2 Rate of Polymerization
For a polymerization initiated by the thermal decomposition of an initiator, the

polymerization rate depends on the ratio of three rate constants kp ðkd =kt Þ1=2
according to Eq. 7.53. The temperature dependence of this ratio can be obtained
by combining three separate Arrhenius equations as below
1=2 1=2
kd Ad ½Ep þ E2d E2t
ln kp ¼ ln Ap ð7:88Þ
kt At RT
The overall activation energy of rate of polymerization ER is equal to
Ep þ ðEd =2Þ ðEt =2Þ. From Eq. 7.53, one can rewrite the above equation as
1=2 h i E
Ad 1 R
ln Rp ¼ ln Ap þ ln ðf ½I Þ2 ½M ð7:89Þ
At RT
By plotting ln Rp versus 1/T, one can obtain ER and Ap ðAd =At Þ1=2 from the slope
and intercept, respectively.
Table 7.14 shows the thermal properties of commonly used initiators. The
activation energy of initiator decomposition is in the range of 120–150 kJ mole-1
in general. The Ep and Et value of most monomers are in the ranges of 20–40 kJ
mole-1 and 8–20 kJ mole-1 respectively (Table 7.13). Thus the ER of most
polymerization initiated by thermal initiator decomposition is about 80–90 kJ
mole-1. This corresponds to a two to three time rate increase for every 10°C
temperature increase. The situation is different for other mode of initiation. The
redox initiation (e.g., Fe2+ with thiosulfate or cumene hydroperoxide) usually takes
place at lower temperature as compared to the thermal polymerizations because
the former has lower activation energy. The Ed value of redox initiation is only
about 40–60 kJ mole-1 or about 80 kJ mole-1 less than that of thermal initiation.
This leads to an ER redox polymerization about 40 kJ mole-1 or about half of the
nonredox initiators.
The initiation step of photo polymerization is temperature independent
(Ed ¼ 0), because the decomposition of initiator is induced by light rather than by
Table 7.14 Properties of common thermal initiatorsa,b [3]

Initiator kd 9 105 T (°C) Ed
0
2,2 -Azobisisobutyronitrile 0.845 60 123.4
Acetyl peroxide 2.39 70 136.0
Benzoyl peroxide 5.50 85 124.3
Cumyl peroxide 1.56 115 170.3
t-Butyl peroxide 3.00 130 146.9
t-Butyl hydroperoxide 0.429 155 170.7
a
All data are for decompositions in benzene solution
b
The units of kd are s-1 ; the units of Ed are kJ/mole
7.8 Temperature Effect 171
heat. The overall activation energy of photo polymerization is then only about
20 kJ mole-1 which indicates this polymerization is relatively insensitive to
temperature. However, most photo initiators can also be decomposed thermally;
the initiators may undergo appreciable thermal decomposition in addition to photo
decomposition at higher temperatures. In such cases, one must take into account
both the thermal and photo initiations. The initiation and overall activation ener-
gies for a purely thermal self-initiated polymerization are approximately the same
as for initiation by the thermal decomposition of an initiator. For the thermal, self-
initiated polymerization of styrene, its Ed is 121 kJ mole-1 and ER is 86 kJ
mole-1. However, pure thermal polymerization proceeds at very slow rates
because of very low frequency factor (104–106) resulting in very low probability of
initiation process.
7.8.3 Degree of Polymerization
The effect of temperature on the molecular weight of the polymer produced by

thermally initiated polymerization will be determined by the ratio of kp =ðkd =kt Þ1=2
according to Eq. 7.56 of the degree of polymerization, if transfer reactions are
negligible. The variation of the ratio with temperature can be expressed by

kp Ap Ep E2d E2t
ln ¼ ln ð7:90Þ
ðkd kt Þ1=2 ðAd At Þ1=2 RT
The overall activation energy of degree of polymerization (EX n Þ is equal to

Ep ðEd =2Þ ðEt =2Þ . Then the temperature effect on the degree of polymeri-
zation can be expressed by

Ap ½M E
lnX n ¼ ln 1=2
þ ln 1=2
Xn ð7:91Þ
ðAd At Þ ðf ½IÞ RT
EX n has a value of about -60 kJ mole-1 and X n decreases rapidly with

increasing temperature. EX n is about the same for a purely thermal, self-initiated
polymerization (Fig. 7.2). For a pure photo polymerization, EXn is positive by
approximately 20 kJ mole-1, since Ed is zero, and X n increases moderately with
temperature. For all other cases, X n decreases with temperature.
When chain transfer occurs in the polymerization, the temperature effect on the
X n depends on the relative importance of the chain transfer reaction. For the case
where chain transfer to chain transfer agent T, one can obtain the following
equation according to Eq. 7.70.
Table 7.15 Activation parameters for chain transfer in styrene polymerization (60°C) [3]
Transfer agent -(Ep-Etr,S) log(Atr,S/Ap)
Benzene 62.0 3.9
Carbon tetrachloride 20.9 1
Cyclohexane 56.1 3.1
Ethyl benzene 23.0 -0.55
Isopropyl benzene 23.0 -0.47
n-Butyl bromide 46.1 2
n-Butyl chloride 58.6 4
n-Butyl iodide 29.3 1
t-Butyl benzene 57.4 3.8
Toluene 42.3 1.7
" !#
½M 1 1 kp Ap ðEp Etr Þ
ln ¼ ln ¼ ln ð7:92Þ
½T X n Xn 0 ktr Atr RT
Now, EX n is equal to (Ep Etr ) and can be obtained by plotting the left side of
equation versus 1/T. The (Ep Etr ) is usually in the range of -20 to -65 kJ
more-1 and the molecular weight decreases with increasing temperature.
Table 7.15 shows the activation parameters for chain transfer in styrene poly-
merization using different chain transfer agents. The frequency factors for transfer
reactions are usually greater than those of propagations.
7.9 Thermodynamics of Free Radical Polymerization
The thermodynamics of free radical polymerization [3] can be expressed by

DGp = DHp-TDSp. The DGp, DHp, and DSp for a polymerization are the differ-
ence in free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, respectively, between 1 mol of
monomer and 1 mol of repeating units in the polymer product. The thermody-
namic properties of a polymerization relate only to the propagation step, since
polymerization consists of single acts of initiation and termination and a large
number of propagation steps.
Chain polymerizations of alkene are exothermic (DHp is ‘‘negative’’) and
exoentropic (DSp is ‘‘negative’’). The exothermic nature of polymerization arises
because the process involves the exothermic conversion of p-bonds (less stable) in
monomer molecules into r-bond (more stable) in the polymer. The negative DSp
for polymerization arises from the decreased degrees of freedom for the polymer
relative to the monomer. Thus, polymerization is favorable from the enthalpy
viewpoint, but unfavorable from the entropy viewpoint. Table 7.16 shows the wide
range of DHp values for various monomers and also shows the general thermo-
dynamic feasibility for any carbon–carbon double bond (DGp is negative). How-
ever, thermodynamic feasibility does not indicate the experimental conditions of
7.9 Thermodynamics of Free Radical Polymerization 173
Table 7.16 Enthalpy and entropy of polymerization at 25 °C[3]

Monomer -4H -4S
Ethylene 93 155
Propene 84 116
1-Butene 83.5 113
Isobutylene 48 121
1,3-Butadiene 73 89
Isoprene 75 101
Styrene 73 104
a-Methylstyrene 35 110
Vinyl chloride 72 –
Vinylidene chloride 73 89
Tetrafluoro ethylene 163 112
Acrylic acid 67 –
Acrylonitrile 76.5 109
Maleic anhydride 59 –
Vinyl acetate 88 110
Methyl acrylate 78 –
Methyl methacrylate 56 117
4H refer to the conversion of liquid monomer to amorphous or (slightly) crystalline polymer.
4S refers to the conversion of monomer (at a concentration of 1 M) to amorphous or slightly
crystalline polymer. The subscripts lc are often used with 4H and 4S to show the initial and final
states (that is, 4Hlc and 4Slc). The units of 4H are kJ/mole of polymerized monomer; the units
of 4S are J/K-mole
polymerization. The DSp values fall in a narrower range of values. DSp is in a small
range *100 to *150 J/K-mol and DGp is ‘‘negative’’ due to –TDSp over weight
DHp. Thus, polymerization is a favored reaction from thermodynamic point of
view.
7.9.1 Monomer Reactivity
Although the polymerization reaction is thermodynamically favored, the kinetic

feasibility of polymerization varies considerably from one monomer to another
depending on the stability of monomer radical and polymer radical [3].
As shown in Table 7.16, the DH values for ethylene, propene, and 1-butene are
very close to the difference (82–90 kJ/mole) between the bond energies of the p-
bond in an alkene and the r-bond in an alkane. The DH values for the other
monomers vary considerably. The variations in DH for differently substituted
ethylenes arise from any of the following effects: (1) differences in the resonance
stabilization of monomer and polymer due to differences in conjugation or
hyperconjugation, (2) steric strain differences in the monomer and polymer arising
from bond angle deformation, bond stretching, or interactions between nonbonded

atoms, and (3) differences in hydrogen bonding or dipole interactions in the
monomer and polymer. The following monomers (I) can be stabilized through
resonance that decreases DH of polymerization. However, the monomer (II) is
poorly conjugated and its DH is similar to that of ethylene.
Type I Monomer
H2C CH
CH3
H2C C
CH 2 CH CH CH2
H 2C C CH3
CH3
O
H 2C C C O(H or CH3)
CH3
H2C CH
CN
Type II Monomer
O
CH2 CH O C CH3
Many substituents stabilize the monomer but have no appreciable effect on

polymer stability, since resonance is only possible with the former. The net effect
is to decrease the exothermicity of the polymerization. Thus, hyperconjugation of
alkyl groups with the C=C lowers DH for propylene and 1-butene polymerizations.
Conjugation of the C=C with substituents such as the benzene ring (styrene and a-
methylstyrene), and alkene double bond (butadiene and isoprene), the carbonyl
linkage (acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate), and the nitrile group
(acrylonitrile) similarly leads to stabilization of the monomer and decreases
enthalpies of polymerization. When the substituent is poorly conjugating as in
vinyl acetate, the DH is close to the value for ethylene.
The effect of 1,1-disubstitution manifests itself by decreased DH values [3].
This is a consequence of steric strain in the polymer due to interactions between
substituents on alternating carbon atoms of the polymer chain. In 25, the polymer
chain is drawn in the plane of the text with the H and Y substituents placed above
7.9 Thermodynamics of Free Radical Polymerization 175
and below the plane of the text. The dotted and triangular lines indicate substit-
uents below and above this plane, respectively. Such interactions are referred to as
1,3-interactions and are responsible for the decreased DH values in monomers such
as isobutylene, a-methyl styrene, methyl methacrylate, and vinyl chloride. The
effect in a-methyl styrene is especially significant. The DH value of -35 kJ/mole
is the smallest heat of polymerization of any monomer. To summarize, the stability
of the polymer radical is more important than the stability of the monomer toward
addition of a free radical in the propagation reactions.
H H H H H H
Y Y Y Y Y Y
1,3-Interaction in polymer
25
7.9.2 Ceiling Temperature
The reversibility of vinyl polymerization reactions has been observed which

depends on the monomer reactivity and the stability of polymer radical as shown
in the following:
kp
Mx þM Mðxþ1Þ ð7:93Þ
kdp
where kdp is the depropagation rate constant. Just as radical stability retards
propagation, it enhances depropagation. As the polymerization temperature is
raised, the depropagation rate increases until a point is reached where the forward
and back reactions are equal. The temperature at which this occurs is called the
ceiling temperature (Tc), and at that temperature DG of polymerization is zero, or
Table 7.17 Representative Monomer Tc (°C)

ceiling temperatures, Tc, of
pure liquid monomers [3] 1,3-Butadiene 585
Ethylene 610
Isobutylene 175
Isoprene 466
Methyl methacrylate 198
a-Methyl styrene 66
Styrene 395
Tetrafluoro ethylene 1,100
DH
Tc ¼ ð7:94Þ
DS
It follows that whatever affects DH or DS for a given monomer (e.g., monomer
concentration, pressure) will also affect Tc. Table 7.17 lists ceiling temperatures
for several pure liquid monomers.
7.9.3 Characteristics of DS Values of Free Radical

Polymerization
While the DH values vary over a wide range for different monomers, the DS values
are less sensitive to monomer structure, being relatively constant within the range
of *100–120 J/K-mole. The TDS contribution to the DG of polymerization will
be small and will vary only within a narrow range. Thus, the variation in the
TDS term at 50°C for all monomers is in the narrow range of 30–40 kJ/mole. The
DS of polymerization arises primarily from the loss of the translation entropy of
the monomer. Losses in the rotational and vibration entropies of the monomers are
essentially balanced by gains in the rotation and vibration entropies of the poly-
mer. Thus, DS for polymerization is essentially the translational entropy of the
monomer, which is relatively insensitive to the structure of the monomer.
7.10 Molecular Weight Distribution at Low Conversion
The molecular weight of radical chain polymerization is complicated because

several possible terminations–disproportions, coupling, and various transfer
reactions are involved. Molecular weight changes with % conversion, due to the
changes in the concentrations of monomer and catalyst, and the rate constant of
propagation and termination.
At low conversion where all of the kinetic parameters (½M ; ½I ; kd ; kp ; kt ) are
approximately constant. Under these conditions, the polymer molecular weight
does not change with conversion. The molecular weight distributions can be
derived as did in the step polymerization and are shown in Eqs. 7.95, 7.96, 7.97,
7.98, 7.99, and 7.100 as the number-fraction, number-, and weight-fraction dis-
tributions, the number- and weight-average degrees of polymerization, and the
breadth of the distribution, respectively.
N x ¼ px1 ð1 pÞ ð7:95Þ
Nx ¼ N0 ð1 pÞ2 px1 ð7:96Þ
Wx ¼ xð1 pÞ2 px1 ð7:97Þ

7.10 Molecular Weight Distribution at Low Conversion 177
1
Xn ¼ ð7:98Þ
ð1 pÞ
ð1 þ pÞ
Xw ¼ ð7:99Þ
ð1 pÞ
Xw
¼1þp ð7:100Þ
Xn
Disproportional or chain transfer or a combination of two: one polymer mol-
ecule is produced from each kinetic chain. When p is used as the probability to
continue propagation, the molecular weight distribution can be shown in the
following.
p ¼ Rp =ðRp þ Rt þ Rtr Þ ð7:101Þ
where Rp, Rt, and Rtr are the rates of propagation, termination by disproportion-
ation, and chain transfer, respectively. The breadth of the size distribution X w =X n
is equal to 2 as p approaches unity. For termination by coupling (Rtr ¼ 0 and Rt is
the rate of coupling), a polymer arises from the combination of two kinetic chains,
the size distribution is narrow.
Consider the probability N YþZ of formation of an x-sized polymer by the
coupling of y- and z-sized propagating radicals. N YþZ is the product of the prob-
abilities, N Y and N Z , of forming the y- and z-sized propagating radicals.
According to Eq. 7.95, N Y and N Z are given in the following:
N Y ¼ ð1 pÞpy1 ð7:102Þ
N Z ¼ ð1 pÞpz1 ð7:103Þ
*y þ z ¼ x
) N Z ¼ ð1 pÞpxy1 ð7:104Þ
Then N yþZ ¼ ð1 pÞ2 px2 ð7:105Þ
Equation 7.105 gives the probability of forming an x-sized polymer molecule

by only one of many equally probable pathways. There are (x-1) possible path-
ways of producing an x-sized polymer molecule when x is an even number. Each
of the pathways has the same probability. Therefore, the total probability N x of
forming an x-sized polymer molecule is given by
N x ¼ ðx 1Þð1 pÞ2 px2 ð7:106Þ

where N x is mole or number-fraction distribution.
When x is an odd number there are x pathways
N x ¼ xð1 pÞ2 px2 ð7:107Þ

For polymerization yielding in high polymer, the difference between x and
(x ? 1) is negligible and can be ignored. Then, we can have the following
relationship:
1
Wx ¼ xð1 pÞ3 ðx 1Þpx2 ð7:108Þ
2
X n ¼ 2=ð1 pÞ ð7:109Þ
X w ¼ ð2 þ pÞ=ð1 pÞ ð7:110Þ
Xw
¼ ð2 þ pÞ=2 ð7:111Þ
Xn
At high conversion, the size distributions become much broader than those
described above for low concentration case. Kinetic chain length m is defined
below:
m ¼ kp ½M =2ðfkd kt ½I Þ1=2 ð7:56Þ

then,
1
m / ½M=½I 2 ð7:112Þ
The molecular weight is increased according to Eq. 7.56. Because ½I is
decreased faster than ½M, then the molecular weight of polymer is increased with
% conversion. For polymer having practical usage, we want its PDI as narrow as
possible. Sometimes, it is necessary to have multiple addition of initiator,
monomer during the polymerization to minimize the molecular weight broadening.
For auto-acceleration, the PDI is even larger with a value of 5–10. For chain
transfer branch polymer, is also large with a PDI of 20–50, because chain transfer
to polymer increases as the polymer size increases.
7.11 Synthesis of Commercial Polymers
The synthesis of some common polymers in the industrial scale is discussed below.
7.11.1 Polyethylene
Radical chain polymerization of ethylene to polyethylene is carried out at high

pressures of 120–300 MPa and at temperature above the Tm of polyethylene. Batch
7.11 Synthesis of Commercial Polymers 179
processes are not useful since the long residence time gives relatively poor control
of product properties. Long-chain branching due to intermolecular chain transfer
becomes excessive with deleterious effects on the physical properties. Continuous
processes allow better control of the polymerization.
The polyethylene produced by radical polymerization is referred to as low-
density polyethylene (LDPE) or high-pressure polyethylene to distinguish it from
the polyethylene synthesized using coordination catalysts. The latter polyethylene
is referred to as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or low-pressure polyethylene.
Low-density polyethylene is more highly branched (both short and long branches)
than high-density polyethylene and is therefore lower in crystallinity (40–60 % vs.
70–90 %) and density (0.91–0.93 g cm-3 vs. 0.94–0.96 g cm-3).
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has a wide range and combination of
desirable properties. Its very low Tg of about -120°C and moderately crystallinity
and Tm of 105–110°C, give it flexibility and utility over a wide temperature range.
Commercial low-density polyethylenes have number-average molecular weights
in the range of 20,000–100,000, with X w =X n in the range of 3–20.
Film application accounts for over 60 % of polyethylene consumption. Injec-
tion molding of toys, housewares, paint-can lids, and containers accounts for
another 10–15 %. About 5 % of the LDPE produced is used as electrical wire and
cable insulation. Extrusion coating of paper to produce milk, juice, and other food
cartons and multiwall bags accounts for another 10 %. Trade names for polyeth-
ylene include marlex, nipolon, etc.
7.11.2 Polystyrene
Continuous solution polymerization is the most important method for the com-
mercial production of polystyrene although suspension polymerization is also
used. Emulsion polymerization is important for the synthesis of copolymer of
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS). Commercial polystyrene (PS) has number-
average molecular weights in the range of 50,000–150,000 with X w =X n values of
2–4. Although completely amorphous (Tg = 85 °C), its bulky rigid chains (due to
phenyl–phenyl interactions) impart good strength with high-dimensional stability
(only 1–3 % elongation); PS is a typical rigid plastic. Expandable polystyrene,
either crystal polystyrene or styrene copolymers impregnated with a blowing
agent, e.g., pentane, is used to produce various foam products such as disposable
drinking cap, egg cartons, etc.
7.11.3 Polyvinyl Chloride
Most poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is commercially produced by suspension poly-

merization. A typical polymerization includes 180 parts water, and 100 parts vinyl
chloride monomer, chain transfer agent (trichloro ethylene). The reactants are then
heated in the closed system to about 50°C, and the pressure rises to about 0.5 MPa.
Typical number-average molecular weights for commercial PVC are in the range
of 30,000–80,000. Tough and rigid PVC became flexible by using plasticizers
(e.g., di-i-octylphthalate, tritolyl phosphate, epoxidized oils). Rigid pipe is used for
home and construction, vinyl siding, window frames, rain-gutter, packaging, and
gloves.
7.11.4 Polyvinyl Acetate
Polyvinyl acetate (PVAC) [–CH2–C(H)(O–CO–CH3)–]n is synthesized from vinyl

acetate monomer via emulsion or solution polymerization. The Tg of PVAC is
about 28°C which is not very useful, but widely used in water based paints,
adhesives for papers, textiles, and wood. PVAC is also used for producing poly-
vinylalcohol (PVA) by hydrolysis that is used as thickening agents, coatings, and
adhesives.
7.11.5 Polyvinylidene Chloride
Polyvinylidene chloride (–CH2–CCl2–)n and its copolymer with vinyl chloride,

acrylonitrile, and acrylates, usually prepared by suspension or emulsion poly-
merization. They are useful as oil, fat, oxygen and moisture-resistant packaging
films (Saran wrap), container, coatings, tank liners, and monofilaments in drapery
fabrics and industrial filter cloths.
7.11.6 Acryl Polymer
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) can be polymerized by bulk, solution, sus-

pension, and emulsion processes. PMMA is completely amorphous but has high
strength and excellent dimensional stability due to the rigid polymer chains
(Tg = 105°C). Polyacrylates differ considerably from the polymethacrylates. They
are softer since the polymer chains are not nearly as rigid [e.g., poly(ethyl acrylate)
(PEA), Tg = -24°C], due to the absence of the methyl groups on alternating
carbons of the polymer chains.
7.11 Synthesis of Commercial Polymers 181
Various rigid PMMA products, such as sheet, rod, and tube, are produced by
bulk polymerization in a casting process. Polymerization is carried out in stages to
allow easier dissipation of heat and control of product dimensions since there is a
very large (21 %) volume contraction on polymerization. Partially polymerized
monomer like syrup (about 20 % conversion) is produced by heating for about
10 min at 90°C with a peroxide. The syrup is cooled to ambient temperature and
poured into a mold, and then the assembly is heated in a water or air bath to
progressively higher temperatures. The maximum temperature used is 90 °C, since
higher temperatures can lead to bubble formation in the product as the boiling
point of methyl methacrylate is 100.5°C. Trade name for acrylate and methacrylate
polymer products includes Acrylite, Plexiglas, Lucite, etc.
In commercial production, polyacrylonitrile ([–C–C(CN)–]n) (PAN) is syn-
thesized by either solution or suspension polymerization. Polyacrylonitrile con-
tains polar group to have high secondary force, so it exhibits good fiber property.
PAN is a source of carbon fiber which is produced by cyclization of polymer at
2,000 °C or above.
From the viewpoint of sales volume, all other members of the acrylic family
constitute a small fraction of the total. However, many of them are useful specialty
products. Polyacrylamide, poly(acrylic acid), and poly(methacrylic acid) and some
of their copolymers are used in various applications that take advantage of their
solubility in water. Poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) are used as
thickening agents, adhesives, dispersants for inorganic pigments in paints, flocc-
ulants, and crosslinked ion-exchange resins.
7.11.7 Fluoropolymers
The fluoropolymers are obtained mainly by suspension polymerization; emulsion

polymerization is also practiced. The most important members of this family are
poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) (PTFE), poly(chloro trifluoro ethylene) (PCTFE), poly
(vinyl fluoride) (PVF), and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). High molecular
weight PTFE is usually obtained due to lack of chain-transfer reactions and pre-
cipitation of growing radicals (leading to greatly decreased termination). Fluoro-
polymers can withstand a wide variety of chemical environments and are useful at
temperatures as low as -200°C and as high as 260°C. The various copolymers of
tetrafluoro ethylene and the other fluoropolymers, possessing lower Tm and crys-
tallinity, were developed to overcome the lack of melt processability of PTFE. A
true melt processable PTFE has been developed by blending two different
molecular weight polymers [8]. They are DuPont Zonyl MP 1000 and Zonyl MP
1,500 J at a specific mixing window of weight ratio of 40/60 and 20/80, respec-
tively. The PVDF exhibits novel piezoelectric properties which are useful for the
applications of actuators, artificial arms/legs, and so on.
7.11.8 Cost of Common Polymers
The cost of common polymers depends on the ease of synthesis and raw material
cost. Fluoropolymer is usually a high cost polymer compared to other polymers.
The cost comparison is in the increasing order of PE*PS \ phenolic alkyds
\ PMMA \ Nylon \ PTFE. The raw materials used for polymer synthesis are
derived from petroleum, with the increase in petroleum price and possible
depletion someday. Raw materials obtained from renewable source such as plants
or biomolecules are currently under intensive development. For instance, poly-
lactic acid can be obtained from bacterial fermentation of corn starch. It is bio-
degradable and has been used in disposable cups and plates.
7.12 Problems
1. Polymers can be synthesized via free radical polymerization among monomers

of ethylene, monosubstituted ethylene, 1,1-disubstituted ethylene. However,
polymers are difficult to obtain from 1,2-disubstitute ethylene by free radical
polymerization. Please explain.
2. Please show how degree of polymerization depends on temperature in (a)
polymerization initiated by thermal decomposition of an initiator, (b) photo-
polymerization (i.e., without initiator), and (c) without transfer reactions to
control molecular weight.
3. Please derive kinetic equations for radical chain polymerization in the pres-
ence of an inhibitor such that, essentially, all the chains are terminated by
reaction with the inhibitor. Show how the rate of polymerization depends on
the concentrations of monomer, initiator, and inhibitor at the steady state.
4. Please write the possible reaction products of two thermal initiators: diacetyl
peroxide, di-t-butyl peroxide, respectively.
5. In normal free radical processes with added initiator, the polymerization rate
and DP are proportional to the first power of monomer concentration. What
would be the effect of monomer concentration on DP in the thermal poly-
merization of styrene? Derive a kinetics expression to support your conclu-
sion. (Reminder: Initiation involves two monomer molecules.)
6. If equal concentrations of acrylonitrile (kp = 1,960 L/mol-s, kt = 782 9 10-6
L/mol-s) and methyl methacrylate (kp = 515 L/mol-s, kt = 25.5 9 10-6 L/
mol-s) were each polymerized at 60°C with equal concentrations of the same
initiators, which polymer would have the higher DP and by how much?
Assume polyacrylonitrile undergoes termination only by radical combination
and PMMA by disproportionation. Which polymer would have the higher M n,
and by how much?
7. A certain monomer is polymerized by benzoyl peroxide labeled in the benzene
ring with carbon-14. (a) Analysis by carbon counting shows that the polymer
7.12 Problems 183
contains an average of 1.27 labeled phenyl groups per molecule. Assuming no

chain transfer occurred, what does this indicate about the mechanism of ter-
mination? (b) Vigorous basic hydrolysis removed 60 % of the carbon-14.
What does this indicate about the mechanism of initiation?
8. Predict the order of polymer molecular weight obtainable (highest to lowest)
by the free radical solution polymerization of styrene in benzene, toluene,
ethyl benzene, t-butyl benzene, and isopropyl benzene.
9. Poly(vinyl acetate) of number-average molecular weight 100,000 is hydro-
lyzed to poly(vinyl alcohol). Oxidation of the latter with periodic acid to
cleave 1,2-diol linkages yield a poly(vinyl alcohol) with degree of polymer-
ization of 200. Calculate the percentages of head-to-tail and head-to-head
linkages in the poly(vinyl acetate).
10. The living character of living radical polymerization is limited under certain
conditions, such as high monomer conversion, high initiator concentration,
and high targeted molecular weight([100,000). Please explain why these
conditions result in broadening of PDI and some difficulties in producing
block copolymers with well-defined block lengths of the different monomers.
References
1. H. Hart, L.E. Craine, D.J. Hart, Organic Chemistry, 11th edn. (Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003)
2. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry (Oxford University Press, Inc., Oxford, 1999)
3. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 4th edn (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004)
4. F.W. Billmeyer Jr, Textbook of Polymer Science (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1984)
5. R. Holman, UV&EB Curing Formulation for Printing Inks Coatings & Paints (Selective
Industrial Training Associates Limited, London, 1984)
6. K. Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 45, 4015–4039 (2012)
7. D.J. Keddie, G. Moad, E. Rizzardo, S.H. Thang, Macromolecules 45, 5321–5342 (2012)
8. T. Tervoort, J. Visjager, B. Graf, P. Smith, Macromolecules 33, (17), 6460 (2000)
Chapter 8
Ionic Chain Polymerization
The carbon–carbon double bond can be polymerized either by free radical or ionic
methods. The difference arises because the p-bond of a vinyl monomer can
respond appropriately to the initiator species by either homolytic or heterolytic
bond breakage as shown in Eq. 8.1.
C C C C C C ð8:1Þ
Although radical, cationic, and anionic initiators are used in chain polymeri-
zations, they cannot be used indiscriminately, since all three types of initiation do
not work for all monomers. Monomers show varying degrees of selectivity with
regard to the type of reactive center that will cause their polymerization. Most
monomers will undergo polymerization with a radical initiator, although at varying
rates. However, monomers show high selectivity toward ionic initiators [1]. Some
monomers may not polymerize with cationic initiators, while others may not
polymerize with anionic initiators. The coordination polymerization requires
coordination catalyst to synthesize polymers. It has been used extensively to
polymerize high performance polyolefin but seldom used in the polymerization of
polar monomer [2]. The detailed mechanisms of coordination polymerization will
be discussed in Chap. 9. The various behaviors of monomers toward polymeri-
zation can be seen in Table 8.1. The types of initiation that bring about the
polymerization of various monomers to high-molecular-weight polymer are indi-
cated. Thus, although the polymerization of all monomers in Table 8.1 is ther-
modynamically feasible, kinetic feasibility is achieved in many cases only with a
specific type of initiation.
The carbon–carbon double bond in vinyl monomers and the carbon–oxygen
double bond in aldehydes and ketones are the two main types of linkages that
undergo chain polymerization. The polymerization of the carbon–carbon double
bond is by far the more important of the two types of monomers. The carbonyl group
is not prone to polymerization by radical initiators because of its polarized nature:

186 8 Ionic Chain Polymerization
Table 8.1 Types of chain polymerization suitable for unsaturated monomers [3]
Monomer type Radical Cationic Anionic Coordination
Ethylene + – – +
1-Alkyl olefins (a-olefins) – – – +
1,1-Dialkyl olefins – + – +
1,3-Dienes + + + +
Styrene, a-methyl styrene + + + +
Halogenated olefins + – – –
Vinyl ethers – + – –
Vinyl esters + – – –
Acrylic and methacrylic esters + – + –
Acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile + – + –
N-Vinyl carbazole + + – –
N-Vinyl pyrrolidone + + – –
Aldehydes, ketones – + + –
O O
ð8:2Þ
C C
The type of substitute (Y) on the C=C double bond of monomer determines the
ease of what kind of chain polymerization. If Y is an electron donating group, the
electron density on the C=C double bond is shown as below:
δ− δ+
H2C CH2 Y
The alkoxy substituent allows a delocalization of the positive charge. If the
substituent was not present, the positive charge would be localized on the single
a-carbon atom. The presence of the alkoxy group leads to stabilization of the
carbocation by delocalization of the positive charge over two atoms—the carbon
and the oxygen. Similar delocalization effects occur with phenyl, vinyl, and alkyl
substituents, for example, for styrene polymerization:
H H H H
CH2C CH2C CH2C CH2C
ð8:3Þ
Certain vinyl compounds are best polymerized via cationic rather than free-
radical intermediates. For instance,
8 Ionic Chain Polymerization 187
H H H
CH C CH2 C CH2 C ð8:4Þ
OR OR OR
The most common commercial cationic polymerization is the polymerization of

isobutylene (CH3–C(CH3)=CH2) which can be polymerized with Friedel–Crafts
catalysts in a reaction that involves tertiary carbocation intermediates. The reaction
is sensitive to temperature, solvent, nucleophile impurities that are discussed later.
8.1 Characteristics of Ionic Chain Polymerization
Ionic polymerizations are highly selective. The cationic polymerization will

undergo cationic intermediate as shown below:
cationic C CX
C CX C CX C CX C CX C CX
n
The X has to be an electron donating group such as alkoxy, phenyl, vinyl, 1,1-
dialkyl, and so on to stabilize the cationic intermediate. The anionic polymeri-
zation will undergo anionic intermediate as shown below:
anionic C CY
C CY C CY C CY C CY C CY
n
The Y has to be an electron withdrawing group such as –CN, CO, phenyl, vinyl,
and so on to stabilize the anionic intermediate.
Thus the selectivity of ionic polymerization is due to the very strict require-
ments for stabilization of anionic and cationic propagating species. The com-
mercial utilization of cationic and anionic polymerizations is rather limited
because of this high selectivity of ionic polymerizations compared to radical
polymerizations.
Ionic polymerizations, especially cationic polymerizations, are not as well
understood as radical polymerization because of experimental difficulties involved
in their study. The nature of the reaction media in ionic polymerizations is often
not clear since heterogeneous inorganic initiators are often involved. Further, it is
extremely difficult in most instances to obtain reproducible kinetic data because
ionic polymerizations proceed at very rapid rates and are extremely sensitive to the
presence of small concentrations of impurities and other ionic reactive species.
The rates of ionic polymerizations are usually faster than those of radical poly-
merizations. These comments generally apply more to cationic than anionic
polymerizations. Anionic systems are more reproducible because the reaction
components are better defined and more easily purified.
Table 8.2 Commercially important polymers prepared by ionic polymerization [4]

Polymer or copolymer Major uses
Cationica
Polyisobutylene and polybutenesb (low Adhesives, sealants, insulating oils, lubricating oil and
and high molecular weight) grease additives, moisture barriers
Isobutylene-isoprene copolymerc Inner tubes, engine mounts and springs, chemical tank
(‘‘butyl rubber’’) linings, protective clothing, hoses, gaskets, electrical
insulation
Isobutylene-cyclopentadiene Ozone-resistant rubber
copolymer
Hydrocarbond and polyterpene resins Inks, varnishes, paints, adhesives, sealants
Coumarone-indene resinse and poly Flooring, coatings, adhesives, polymer modifiers,
(vinyl ether)s tackifiers, adhesives
Anionicf
cis-1,4-Polybutadiene Tires
cis-1,4-Polyisoprene Tires, footwear, adhesives, coated fabrics
Styrene-butadiene rubber(SBR)g Tire treads, belting, hoses, shoe soles, flooring, coated
fabrics
Styrene-butadiene block and star Flooring, shoe soles, artificial leather, wire, and cable
copolymers insulation
ABA block copolymers (A = styrene, Thermoplastic elastomers
B = butadiene or isoprene)
Polycyanoacrylateh Adhesives
a
AlCl3 and BF3 most frequently used coinitators
b
‘‘Polybutenes’’ are copolymers based on C4 alkenes and lesser amounts of propylene and C5 and
higher alkenes from refinery streams
c
Terpolymers of isobutylene, isoprene, and divinylbenzene are also used in sealant and adhesive
formulations
d
Aliphatic and aromatic refinery products
e
Coumarone (benzofuran) and indene (benzocyclopentadiene) are products of coal tar
f
n-Butyllithium most common initator
g
Contains higher cis content than SBR prepared by free radical polymerization
h
Monomer polymerized by trace amount of water
Cationic and anionic polymerizations have many similar characteristics. The

formation of ions with sufficiently long lifetimes for propagation to yield high-
molecular-weight products generally requires stabilization of the propagating
centers by solvation. Relatively low or moderate temperatures are also needed to
suppress termination, transfer, and other chain-breaking reactions which destroy
propagating centers.
Although solvents of high polarity are desirable to solvate the ions, they cannot
be employed for several reasons. The highly polar hydroxylic solvents (water,
alcohols) react with and destroy most ionic initiators. Other polar solvents such as
ketones prevent initiation of polymerization by forming highly stable complexes
with the initiators. Ionic polymerizations are, therefore, usually carried out in
solvents of low or moderate polarity. Table 8.2 summarizes some commercially
important polymers prepared by ionic polymerization and their major usages. It is
interesting to note that most products are rubber-based polymers which were
established during the World War II period in search of man-made rubber.
8.2 Cationic Polymerization 189
8.2 Cationic Polymerization
In cationic chain polymerization, the propagating species is a carbocation. Initi-

ation is brought about by addition of an electrophile to a monomer molecule as
shown in Eq. 8.5.
Eþ þ H2 C ¼ CR2 ! E CH2 CRþ

2 ð8:5Þ
8.2.1 Initiators of Cationic Polymerization
Compounds used most frequently to initiate cationic polymerization are mineral

acids, particularly H2SO4 and H3PO4, and Lewis acids such as: AlCl3, BF3, TiCl4,
and SnCl4. Lewis acids need the presence of trace amounts of water (proton or
cation source) which form the electrophilic species to initiate polymerization.
Examples are the reactions of BF3 with water (Eq. 8.6) and aluminum chloride
with an alky chloride (Eq. 8.7). Water is called initiator, and the Lewis acid is
called coinitiator. They form an initiating system. With certain very active Lewis
acids, autoionization (Eq. 8.8) may occur.
BF3 þ H2 O
HOBF
3H
þ
ð8:6Þ
AlCl3 þ RCl
AlCl
4R
þ
ð8:7Þ
2AlBr3
AlBr þ
4 AlBr2 ð8:8Þ
Other cationic initiators can be obtained from compounds that can easily form
cations as shown in the following:
ðC6 H5 Þ3 CCl
ðC6 H5 Þ3 Cþ þ Cl ð8:9Þ
Cl + Cl- ð8:10Þ
IHC CR2 + HI (8.11)

I2 + H2C CR2 ICH2CIR2
ICH2CR2I (8.12)
ð8:13Þ
HC CH 2 HC CH 2
N N ð8:14Þ
+ RNO2 + RNO2
Cations can also be formed by photo initiation. Aryldiazonium salt (ArN2+Z-),

diaryliodonium salt (Ar2+IZ-), and triarylsulfonium salt (Ar2S+Z-) are effective
photoinitiators of cationic polymerization, where Z- is a nonnucleophilic and
photostable anion such as tetrafluoroborate (BF4-), hexafluoroantimonate (SbF6-),
and tetraperfluorophenylborate [(C6F5)4B-], and hexafluorophosphate (PF6-).
Diaryliodonium and triarylsulfonium salts act as photoinitiators of cationic poly-
merization. Photolytic cleavage of an Ar–I or Ar–S bond yields a radical—cation
(Eq. 8.15) that reacts with HY to yield an initiator–coinitiator complex that acts as
a proton donor to initiate cationic polymerization. HY may be solvent or some
other deliberately added substance such as an alcohol with labile hydrogen.
Overall, the process is a photolytically induced redox reaction between the cation–
radical and HY. These initiators have been used in deep UV photo-resist
applications.
ht HY
Ar2 lþ ðPF6 Þ ! Arlþ ðPF6 Þ þ Ar ! Arl þ Y þ Hþ ðPF6 Þ ð8:15Þ
ht HY
Ar3 Sþ ðSbF6 Þ ! Ar3 Sþ ðSbF6 Þ þ Ar ! Ar3 Sþ Y þ Hþ ðSbF6 Þ ð8:16Þ
Not all initiating systems are equally effective. Relatively stable carbocations of
the triphenylmethyl or tropylium type are only useful with very reactive monomers
such as vinyl ethers. Mineral acid initiators seldom lead to very high molecular
weight polymers.
8.2.2 Reaction Mechanisms of Cationic Polymerization
The cationic polymerization is a chain polymerization that involves three steps: (1)
initiation, (2) propagation, and (3) termination. The feasibility of polymerization
depends on the ease of cation formation from monomer. The reaction can occur
with the addition of the electrophile (carbocation) to monomer and form more
stable intermediate. The rate of addition to aliphatic monomers is of the order of
ðCH3 Þ2 C ¼ CH2 [ CH3 CH ¼ CH2 [ CH2 ¼ CH2
Only isobutylene provides the requisite carbocation stability for cationic

polymerization. For a series of para-substituted styrene, the reactivity for sub-
stituent groups in cationic initiation is of the order of ring activation as
OCH3 [ CH3 [ H [ Cl
Ortho substituents retard the addition regardless of whether they are activating
or deactivating. Vinyl ethers are particularly reactive toward cationic initiators
because the unshared electron of oxygen can participate in the resonance stabilized
intermediate structure as in the following:
R
H2C CHOR R CH2 CH OR R'CH2 CH OR
ð8:17Þ
The cationic polymerization is favored by increasing carbocation stability. The

reaction mechanisms may involve two steps—a rate-limiting formation of a pi
complex between the chain end and an approaching monomer molecule, followed
by covalent bond formation (Eq. 8.18). In free radical polymerization, the covalent
bond formation is a rate limiting step.
CH2
slow fast
+ H2 C CR2 CH2 CR 2
CR2
ð8:18Þ
The solvent effects on the rate of cationic polymerization are more complicated
than the free radical polymerization. Due to the formation of ionic species in the
initiation step, one can expect that the polar solvent favors the initiation step. The
opposite is expected in propagation because the charge is dispersed in the transition
state. Another complicating factor is the degree of association between the cationic
chain end and the anion (A-). Between the extremes of pure covalent bonds and
solvated ions are intimate ion pairs and solvent-separated ion pairs as the following:
c
kp kp kp
A A- A- + A-
Covalent Intimate Solvent-separated Solvated Ions

Ion pair Ion pair
ð8:19Þ
By increasing the solvent polarity of poor solvent, the propagating rate for poor
solvents are increased by shifting the equilibrium away from intimate ion pairs to
have more free ions. As the solvating power of the solvent increases, the shift will
be in the opposite direction and propagation is retarded and cation is no longer
labile. The cation is fully solvated by polar solvent.
Table 8.3 Effect of solvent Solvent kp (L/mol-s)

on cationic polymerization of
p-methoxystyrene by iodine CH2Cl2 17
at 30 °C [5] CH2Cl2/CCl4, 3/1 1.8
CH2Cl2/CCl4, 1/1 0.31
CCl4 0.12
Polymerization rates and polymer molecular weights increase with increasing

solvent polarity because there is a shift in concentrations from the unreactive
(dormant) covalent species toward the ion pairs and free ions. For the perchloric
acid polymerization of styrene, there is an increase in overall reaction rate by
about three orders of magnitude when polymerization is carried out in 1,2-
dichloroethane (e = 9.72) as compared with carbon tetrachloride (e = 2.24).
Table 8.3 shows data for the polymerization of p-methoxystyrene by iodine in
different solvents. The apparent propagation rate constant increases by more than
two orders of magnitude by changing the solvent from nonpolar carbon tetra-
chloride (e = 2.24) to polar methylene chloride (e = 9.08).
The initiator ion pair (consisting of the carbocation and its negative counterion)
produced in the initiation step proceeds to propagate by successive additions of
monomer molecules as shown in Eq. 8.20.
kp
HMnþ ðIZÞ þ M ! HMnMþ ðIZÞ ð8:20Þ
where propagation rate constant: kp ¼ kpþ þ kpc þ kp decreases with increasing
solvent polarity, and solvent stabilizes the reactant more than the transition state.
The kp increases with increasing solvent polarity when the transition state has a
higher dipole moment than ion pair. However, the kp decreases with increasing
solvent polarity when the transition has a lower dipole moment than ion pair. The
kpc is the rate constant for propagation by covalent species. The kpc has the opposite
effect as kp since the transition state involves the development of charged center
from neutral reactants such as styrene polymerized by CH3SO3H, CF3SO3H,
CH3COOH. Table 8.4 summarizes the solvent effect on cationic polymerization by
using the polar solvent in the first row and nonpolar solvent in the second row as
the starting discussion point. The polarity of solvent is varied from solvent type by
either increasing the polarity of the polar solvent or nonpolar solvent. The effect is
quite different between polar solvent and nonpolar solvent.
Table 8.5 summarizes the solvent effect on the radiation cationic polymeriza-
tion of isopropyl vinyl ether at 30 °C. When a nonpolar solvent benzene is used in
the polymerization, the kpþ is decreased as compared with bulk polymerization of
isopropyl vinyl ether. It is interesting to note that the kpþ is further decreased using
polar solvent. The results clearly indicate that the transition state has a higher
dipole moment than the reactants.
Table 8.4 Summary of solvent effect on cationic polymerization

Solvent k+p kcp k±
p
Polar Decrease Decrease for high dipole moment Increase for high dipole moment
transition state transition state
Nonpolar Increase Increase Decrease
Table 8.5 Effect of solvent on k+p in radiation polymerization of isopropyl vinyl ether at 30 °C
[5]
Solvent e k+p (L/mol-s)
Benzene 2.7 57
None 3.0 130
(C2H5)2O 3.7 34
CH2Cl2 6.0 1.5
CH3NO2 19.5 0.02
The need for solvation of ionic propagating species in cationic polymerization

has been demonstrated in the reactions carried out in low dielectric constant media.
In addition to lowering the polymerization rates in poor solvating media, one
frequently encounters increased kinetic order in one of the reactants (monomer,
initiator or coinitiator). The polymerization rate may show an increased order of
dependence on the monomer, initiator, or coinitiator. For example, the polymer-
ization of styrene by tin (IV) chloride initiator, its rate of polymerization depends
on [M]2 in benzene solution and [M]3 in carbon tetrachloride solution. Carbon
tetrachloride is a poor solvating agent compared to benzene, and the higher order
in styrene concentration is due to styrene taking part in solvation of propagating
species. At high concentrations of styrene or in neat styrene, the order in styrene
decreases to two as the reaction medium becomes equivalent to the benzene
system. The polymerization of styrene by trichloroacetic acid illustrates the situ-
ation where the initiator solvates ionic propagating species. The kinetic order in
the concentration of trichloroacetic acid increases from one in the highly polar
nitroethane to two in the less polar 1,2-dichloroethane, to three in neat styrene.
Chain transfer reactions are common in cationic polymerization. For example,
in the polymerization of styrene with sulfuric acid, possible chain transfer reac-
tions include:
1. With monomer:
CH 2CH +HSO4- + H2C CH CH CH + CH 3CH +HSO 4-
ð8:21Þ
2. By ring alkylation:
CH2 CH CH2 CH + HSO4- + H 2C CH
CH2 + CH 3CH +HSO4-
ð8:22Þ
3. By hydride abstraction from the chain to form a more stable ion:
CH2CH + HSO 4- + CH 2 CHCH 2
HSO4
- ð8:23Þ
CH 2 CH 2 + CH 2 CCH 2
4. With solvent, for example, with benzene by electrophilic substitution:
CH2C + HSO4- + + H2C CH
CH2 CH + CH3CH + HSO 4-
ð8:24Þ
Chain branching occurs via reaction (Eq. 8.23) or by intermolecular ring

alkylation (Eq. 8.24).
Chain transfer to monomer is so common in cationic polymerizationthat it is
necessary to reduce the reaction by adding proton trap, such as 2,6-di-t-
butylpyridine, which intercepts the proton before it transfers to monomer

(Eq. 8.25). The result is a lower overall yield but higher molecular weight and
lower polydispersity index. The bulky t-butyl groups prevent reaction with elec-
trophiles larger than the proton.
CH2 CR2 + CH CR2 +

N N
H
ð8:25Þ
Termination reactions resulting from the combination of chain end with

counterion (i.e., a change from ionic to covalent bonding) are observed in the
polymerization of styrene, as in the trifluoroacetic acid initiated polymerization
(Eq. 8.26), and chain end chlorination in the BCl3/H2O initiated polymerization
(Eq. 8.27)
O O
+
CH2CH OCCF3 CH2CHOCCF3
ð8:26Þ
CH 3 CH3
+ -
CH 2C HOBCl3 CH2CCl + BCl2OH
ð8:27Þ
Living cationic polymerization is possible. Polymerization of isobutylene with

a tertiary ester and BCl3, for example, involves formation of a tertiary carbocation
initiating species (Eq. 8.28) and polymerization (Eq. 8.29) to yield polyisobutyl-
ene terminated with a very tightly bound but still active ion pair. A similar situ-
ation occurs when I2/HI or I2/ZnI2 is used as the initiating system. In this case, the
mechanism of propagation apparently involves insertion of vinyl ether into an
activated carbon iodine bond (Eq. 8.30).
O O BCl3
ð8:28Þ
R3COCCH3 + BCl3 R3C OCCH3
CH 3 CH 3 O BCl3
H2 C C(CH 3 )2
δ+ δ-
R 3C CH 2C CH 2C OCCH 3 ð8:29Þ
n
CH 3 CH 3
CH2 OR CH2 OR
CH CH
H2C I ZnI2 H2C I ZnI2 ð8:30Þ
HC CH
OR OR
8.2.3 Kinetics of Cationic Polymerization
The initiation process of cationic polymerization can be generalized as

K
I þ ZY
Yþ ðIZÞ ð8:31Þ
ki
Yþ ðIZÞ þ M ! YMþ ðIZÞ ð8:32Þ
The propagation reaction is expressed in the following:
kp
YMþ ðIZÞ þ M ! YMMþ ðIZÞ ð8:33Þ
Termination occurs due to a combination of the propagating center with the
counterion.
kt
YMþ ðIZÞ ! YMIZ ð8:34Þ
The overall kinetics depends on the mode of termination in a particular system.
If the termination is exclusively due to the combination of propagating center with
counterion, one can follow the rate expression used in the radical polymerization
basis on the steady-state conditions. The rates of initiation, propagation, and ter-
mination are given by
Ri ¼ Kki ½I½ZY½M ð8:35Þ
Rp ¼ kp ½YMþ ðIZÞ ½M ð8:36Þ
Rt ¼ kt ½YMþ ðIZÞ ð8:37Þ

At steady state Ri ¼ Rt , then
Kki ½I½ZY½M
½YMþ ðIZÞ ¼ ð8:38Þ
kt
Combining Eq. 8.36 and Eq. 8.38 yields the rate of polymerization as
Ri kp ½M Kki kp ½I½ZY½M2

Rp ¼ ¼ ð8:39Þ
kt kt
The number-average degree of polymerization is obtained as the propagation
rate divided by the termination rate:
n ¼ Rp ¼ kp ½M
X ð8:40Þ
Rt kt
Similar to radical polymerization, chain transfer reactions are also involved in
cationic polymerization such as chain transfer to monomer, spontaneous termi-
nation, and chain transfer to chain transfer agent S. In addition to combination with
the counterion, if there are chain transfer reactions present, the concentration of the
propagating species remains unchanged, and the polymerization rate is again given
by Eq. 8.39. However, the degree of polymerization is decreased by these chain
transfer reactions and is given by the polymerization rate divided by the sum of all
chain transfer reactions:
n ¼ Rp
X ð8:41Þ
Rt þ Rts þ Rtr; M þ Rtr; S
The rate of spontaneous termination (Rts ) and the two transfer reactions (Rtr; M
and Rtr;S ) are given by
Rts ¼ kts ½YMþ ðIZÞ ð8:42Þ
Rtr; M ¼ ktr; M ½YMþ ðIZÞ ½M ð8:43Þ
Rtr; S ¼ ktr; S ½YMþ ðIZÞ ½S ð8:44Þ

Combining Eq. 8.41 with Eqs. 8.36, 8.37, 8.42 to 8.44 yields
n ¼ kp ½M
X ð8:45Þ
kt þ kts þ ktr; M ½M þ ktr; S ½S
or
1 kt kts ½S
n ¼ kp ½M þ kp ½M þ CM þ CS ½M
X
ð8:46Þ
where CM and CS are the chain-transfer

constants for monomer and chain-transfer
agent S, which are defined by ktr; M kp and ktr; S kp respectively. Equation 8.46 is
the same as the Mayo Equation for radical polymerization.
When chain transfer to S terminates the kinetic chain, the polymerization rate is
decreased and is given by
Kki kp ½I½ZY½M2
Rp ¼ ð8:47Þ
kt þ ktr; S ½S
The above rate expressions are derived on the basis of Ri is a rate determination
step as shown in Eq. 8.32. If Eq. 8.31 is the rate determination step, then Ri is
independent of monomer concentration and is expressed by
Ri ¼ k1 ½I½ZY ð8:48Þ
The polymerization rate expressions (Eq. 8.39) will then be modified by
replacing Kki with k1 , and there will be one order lower dependence of Rp on [M].
The degree of polymerization is unchanged and still described by Eq. 8.45.
The expressions for Rp in cationic polymerization (Eq. 8.39) point out a very
significant difference between cationic polymerization and radical polymerization.
Radical polymerization shows a half-order dependence of Rp on Ri , while cationic
polymerizations show a first-order dependence of Rp on Ri . The difference is a
consequence of their different modes of termination. Termination is second order
in the propagating species in radical polymerization but only first order in cationic
polymerization.
In the absence of any chain transfer, the kinetic chain length m, is equal to DP
and is expressed as
Rp kp ½M½Mþ kp ½M
m ¼ DP ¼ ¼ ¼
Rt kt ½Mþ kt
If the chain transfer is the predominant mechanism for controlling chain
growth, then
Rp kp ½M½Mþ kp
m ¼ DP ¼ ¼ ¼
Rtr ktr ½M½Mþ ktr
The molecular weight of cationic polymerization is independent of initiator
concentration, unlike free radical polymerization, where DP is inversely propor-
tional to [I]1/2 in the absence of chain transfer. The difference arises from radical
disproportionation and combination reactions characteristic of free radical termi-
nation. By increasing initiator concentration, the probability of radical termination
is increased, which is not the case in ionic polymerization.
Table 8.6 summarizes kinetic parameters of different monomers that undergo
cationic polymerization. A comparison of the kpþ and kp values for the styrene, p-
methoxystyrene, and N-vinyl carbazole polymerizations shows the free ion prop-
agation rate to be an order of magnitude higher than the ion pair propagation rate
constant. The results indicate that the presence of counterion in the ion pair
reduces the effective frequency factor in the cationic polymerization. Although
there are relatively few reliable data of kpþ and kp in other systems, it is generally
agreed that the reactivity of free ions is no more than a factor of 5–20 greater than
the reactivity of ion pairs. The counterion is typically quite large for cationic
polymerization (e.g., SbCl-, -
6 CF3SO3 ). The ion pair is a very loose ion pair, so the
availability of the positive charge center for reaction has not much difference as
compared to the free ion.
Table 8.6 Comparison of polymerization kinetic parameters of some monomers [5]

Parameter Styrene i-Butyl vinyl ether p-Methoxy styrene N-Vinyl carbazole
[Styrene], M 0.27–0.40 – –
[CF3SO3H], M 3.8–7.1 9 10-3 – –
[/3C+SbCl6], M – 6.0 9 10-5 –
ki, L/mol-s 10–23 5.4
kd, mol/L 4.2 9 10-7 –
k+p , L/mol-s 1.2 9 106 7.0 9 103 3.6 9 105 6.0 9 105
k±p , L/mol-s 1.0 9 105 – 4.1 9 104 5.0 9 104
kts ? kt, s-1 170–280 0.2 – –
ktr, M, L/mol-s 1–4 9 103 1.9 9 102 – –
A comparison of Table 8.6 with corresponding data for radical chain poly-
merization as shown in Table 8.7 allows us to understand why cationic poly-
merizations are generally faster than radical polymerizations. The propagation rate
constants in cationic polymerization are similar to or greater than those for radical
polymerization. However, the termination rate constants are considerably lower in
cationic polymerization. The polymerization rate is determined by the ratio of rate
1=2
constants kp kt in cationic polymerization and kp kt in radical polymeriza-
tion. The former ratio is larger than the latter by up to four orders of magnitude
depending on the monomers being compared. Cationic polymerization is further
favored, since the concentration of propagating species is usually much higher
than in a radical polymerization. The concentration of propagating species of
radical polymerization is typically 10-7–10-9 M, much lower than that in cationic
polymerization.
Consider the situation where one polymer molecule is produced from each
kinetic chain. This is the case for termination by disproportionation or chain
transfer or a combination of the two, but without combination. The molecular
weight distribution is similar to the linear step polymerization as shown in
Eq. 8.49. One difference in the use of the equation for radical chain polymeriza-
tions compared to step polymerization is the redefinition of p as the probability
that a propagating radical will continue to propagate instead of terminating. The
value of p is given as the rate of propagation divided by the sum of the rates of all
reactions that a propagating radical may undergo (Eq. 8.50).
X n ¼ ð1 þ pÞ
w =X ð8:49Þ

p ¼ Rp = Rp þ Ri þ Rtr ð8:50Þ
For the cationic polymerization, the PDI can be determined by Eq. 8.49. It has a
limit of 2 (at low conversion). For rapid initiation, PDI will be narrow. For very
slow termination and transfer reaction, PDI will be close to 1. The existence of
chain transfer reactions, PDI will be between 1 and 2, mostly larger than 2
Table 8.7 Comparison of rate constants of cationic polymerization and free radical
polymerization
Rate constant Cationic Free radical
kt Low High
kp High Low
Rp kp/kt high (kp/kt)1/2 low
depending on the chain transfer reactions and their rates relative to propagation. At
high conversion, the concentration of propagating centers, monomer, and transfer
agent as well as rate constants change, and the PDI increases.
8.2.4 Commercial Cationic Polymerization
Cationic polymerizations are used extensively in the industry for the synthesis of
rubbers [5]. Low molecular weight polyisobutylenes (up to M v 5–10 9 104)
ranged from viscous liquids to tacky semi-solids are synthesized by reacting
isobutylene with AlCl3 at -40 to 10 °C. High molecular weight polyisobutylenes
(M v [ 105) are rubbery solids and are obtained at considerably lower reaction
temperatures (-100 to -90 °C) by using a process similar to that for butyl rubber.
Butyl rubber (BR) is a copolymer of isobutylene and a small amount of isoprene 1
(0.5–2.5 %) produced by AlCl3 in CH2Cl2. The initiation system is produced by
passing methyl chloride through beds of aluminum chloride at 30–45 °C followed
by dilution with methyl chloride and the addition of the initiator. The reaction is
carried out at -100 to -90 °C.
CH3
CH2 C CH CH2
1
The isoprene incorporates double bonds into the polymer chains, which is used
for cross-linking (called curing in the rubber industry). Molecular weights of at
least 200,000 are needed to obtain products that are non-tacky. The molecular
weight is controlled by regulating the amount of transfer agent and terminating
agent at low reaction temperature. The butyl rubber exhibits better chemical and
physical properties than those of natural rubber due to the former having lower
degree of unsaturation.
8.3 Anionic Polymerization 201
8.3 Anionic Polymerization
In anionic vinyl polymerization, the propagating chain is a carbanion which is

formed by initiator undergoing nucleophilic addition to monomer (Eq. 8.51).
Monomers having substituent groups capable of stabilizing a carbanion through
resonance or induction are most susceptible to anionic polymerization. Examples
of such groups are nitro, cyano, carboxyl, vinyl, and phenyl.
Nu- + H 2C CHR Nu CH 2 CH -
ð8:51Þ
R
8.3.1 Reaction Mechanisms of Anionic Polymerization
The anionic polymerization is the same as other chain polymerizations which

involve three reaction steps: (1) initiation, (2) propagation, and (3) termination,
using the base or nucleophile as an initiator, e.g., NaNH2, LiN(C2H5)2, alkoxides,
hydroxides, cyanides, phosphines, amines, and organometallics compounds such
as n-C4H9Li and C6H5–MgBr. Alkyl lithium is the most useful initiator and used to
initiate 1,3-butadiene and isoprene commercially. It is soluble in hydrocarbon
solvents. Initiation proceeds by addition of the metal alkyl to monomer as
C4H9Li + H2C CHY C4H9 CH2 C Li+ ð8:52Þ
followed by propagation:
H H H
C4H9 CH2 C Li+ + n H2C CHY C4H9 CH2 C CH2 C Li+

n
Y Y Y
ð8:53Þ
Monomer reactivity increases with increasing ability to stabilize the carbanion

charge. Very strong nucleophiles such as amide ion or alkyl carbanion are needed to
polymerize monomers, such as styrene, 1,3-butadiene with relatively weak electron
withdrawing substituents. Weaker nucleophiles, such as alkoxide and hydroxide
ions, can polymerize monomers with strongly electron withdrawing substituents,
such as acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, and methyl vinyl ketone. Methyl-a-
cyanoacrylate C=C(CN)–CO–OMe, containing two electron-withdrawing groups,
can be polymerized by a very weak nucleophile such as Br-, CN-, amines, and
phosphines. This monomer is used to make ‘‘superglue’’ or magic glue, and can be
polymerized by water, which was used as wound repair agent during the Vietnam
War.
Electron-transfer initiation from other radical-anions, such as those formed by
reactions of sodium with nonenolizable ketones, azomethines, nitriles, azo, and
azoxy compounds, has also been studied. In addition to radical-anions, initiation
by electron transfer has been observed when one uses certain alkali metals in
liquid ammonia. Polymerization initiated by alkali metals in liquid ammonia
proceeds by two different mechanisms. The mechanism of polymerization is
considered to involve the formation of a solvated electron:
Li + NH3 Li+(NH3) + e-(NH3) ð8:54Þ
Such ammonia solutions are noted by their characteristic deep blue color. The
solvated electron is then transferred to the monomer to form a radical-anion,
e-(NH3) + H2C CHY H2C CHY H3C CHY (NH3)

ð8:55Þ
Stable addition complexes of alkali metals that initiate polymerization by

electron transfer are formed by reaction of metal and compound in an inert solvent.
Examples are the reactions of sodium with naphthalene (Eq. 8.56) or stilbene
(Eq. 8.57). A general equation for the reaction of this type of donor D with
monomer M may be written as Eq. 8.58.
Na + Na ð8:56Þ
HC CH HC CH Na
Na +
ð8:57Þ
D + M D + M ð8:58Þ
Many anionic polymerizations, such as styrene, 1,3-butadiene, nonpolar

monomer have no termination reaction (reacts with counterion). By adding proton
donor such as water or alcohol to the living polymers, the living chain can be
terminated as shown in Eq. 8.59. The hydroxide ion is usually not sufficiently
nucleophilic to reinitiate polymerization.
H H
CH2C + H2O CH2CH + OH-
ð8:59Þ
Most anionic polymerization is carried out in an inert atmosphere with rigor-

ously purified reagents and cleaned glassware. Oxygen and carbon dioxide add to
propagating carbanion to form peroxy (Eq. 8.60) and carboxyl anions (Eq. 8.61).
They are not reactive enough to continue propagation.
+ O O O O ð8:60Þ
O
ð8:61Þ
+ O C O C O
Living polymers do not live forever. In the absence of terminating agents, the
concentration of carbanion centers decays with time. Polystyrol carbanions are the
most stable of living anionic systems; they are stable for weeks in hydrocarbon
solvents. Stability is enhanced by storage below 0 °C. The mechanism for the
decay of polystyryl carbanions, referred to as spontaneous termination, is based on
spectroscopy of the reaction system and final polymer after treatment with water.
The reaction consists of hydride elimination (Eq. 8.62) followed by abstraction of
an allylic hydrogen from 2 and by a carbanion center to yield the unreactive 1,3-
diphenyl allyl anion 3.
H H
CH2 CH CH2 C Na + CH 2 CH CH C + H Na
ð8:62Þ
H H
CH2 CH CH2 C + CH2 CH CH C
H H
CH 2 CH CH 2 CH + CH2 C CH C
3
ð8:63Þ
Several different nucleophilic substitution reactions have been observed in the

polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). Attack of initiator on monomer
converts the active alkyllithium to the less active alkoxide initiator. Furthermore,
MMA can be converted to isopropenyl alkyl ketone as shown in Eq. 8.64.
CH3 O CH3 O
H2C C C OCH3 + R-LI+ H2 C C C R + CH3O-LI+

ð8:64Þ
The resulting polymerization is a copolymerization between these two mono-

mers, not a homopolymerization of MMA. More importantly, this results in a
slower reaction since the carbanion derived from the ketone is not as reactive as
the carbanion from MMA. To avoid this side reaction, one can use bulky anionic
initiator such as diphenyl ethylene s-Bu lithium and carry out the reaction at
-78°C in tetrahydrofuran [6].
8.3.2 Kinetics of Anionic Polymerization with Termination
The kinetic and mechanistic aspects of anionic polymerization are better under-
stood than those of cationic polymerization. In the case of the potassium amide-
initiated polymerization in liquid ammonia, initiation involves dissociation
(Eq. 8.65) followed by addition of amide ion to monomer (Eq. 8.66).
K
KNH2
Kþ þ NH
2 ð8:65Þ
ki
NH
2 þ M ! H2 N M

ð8:66Þ
Because the second step is slow relative to the first step,

Ri ¼ ki ½H2 N : ½M ð8:67aÞ
or
Ri ¼ ki K ½M½KNH2 =½Kþ ð8:67bÞ

Propagation proceeds according to
kp
H 2 N M
n þ M ! H2 N Mn M

ð8:68Þ
Rate expressions for propagation may be written in the conventional way:
Rp ¼ kp ½M][M ð8:69Þ
The chain transfers to solvent (NH3) results that an anion produces without
termination.
ktr;NH3
H2 N M
n þ NH3 ! H2 N Mn H þ NH2 ð8:70Þ
However, the chain transfers to impurities, such as H2O, results in a
termination.
ktr;H2 O
H2 N M
n þ H2 O ! H2 N Mn H þ OH

ð8:71Þ
The transfer rates for solvent and impurities can be expressed as Eqs. 8.72 and
8.73
Rtr;NH3 ¼ ktr;NH3 ½M ½NH3 ð8:72Þ
Rtr;H2 O ¼ ktr;H2 O ½M ½H2 O ð8:73Þ

Assuming a steady state whereby Ri = Rt, and combining Eqs. 8.67b, 8.69, and
8.73, one obtains
RP ¼ Kki kp ½M2 ½KNH2 =ktr; H2 O ½Kþ ½H2 O ð8:74Þ

Therefore, the inverse average kinetic chain length is expressed as
n ¼ CNH3 ½NH3 =½M þ CH2 O ½H2 O=½M
1=X ð8:75Þ
where the CNH3 and CH2 O are defined as follows:
CNH3 ¼ ktr; NH3 =kp ; CH2 O ¼ ktr; H2 O =kp ð8:76Þ
The propagation rate constant and the polymerization rate of anionic poly-
merization are affected by solvent and counterion. Table 8.8 shows the effect of
solvent on the polymerization of styrene by sodium naphthalene. Polar solvents
(tetrahydrofuran and 1,2-dimethoxy ethane) have higher kpapp than nonpolar solvent
Table 8.8 Effect of solvent on anionic polymerization of styrene [5]

Solvent Dielectric constant kapp
p L/mol-s
Benzene 2.2 2
Dioxane 2.2 5
Tetrahydrofuran 7.6 550
1,2-Dimethoxy ethane 5.5 3,800
(benzene and dioxane). The reaction has a higher kp in 1,2-dimethoxy ethane than
in tetrahydrofuran (THF), due to the solvation effect of dimethoxy ethane. The
increase in kpapp with increased solvating power of the reaction medium is due
mainly to the increased fraction of free ions present relative to ion pairs.
The rate of polymerization is the sum of the rates for the free propagating anion
P and the ion pair P ðCþ Þ.
Rp ¼ kp ½P ½M þ kp ½P ðCþ Þ½M ð8:77Þ
Where kp and kp are the propagation rate constants for the free ion and ion pair,
respectively, [P ] and ½P ðCþ Þ are the concentrations of the free ion and ion pair,
and [M] is the monomer concentration. C+ is the positive counterion.
Rp ¼ kpapp ½M ½M ð8:78Þ
Comparison of Eqs. 8.77 and 8.78 yields the apparent kp as
kp ½P þ kp ½P ðCþ Þ

kpapp ¼ ð8:79Þ
½ M
The two propagating species are in equilibrium according to
K
P ðCþ Þ
P þ Cþ ð8:80Þ
governed by the dissociation constant K that is given by
½P ½Cþ
K¼ ð8:81Þ
½P ðCþ Þ
When ½P ¼ ½Cþ , the concentration of free ions is
½P ¼ ðK ½P ðCþ ÞÞ1=2 ð8:82Þ

The extent of dissociation is small under most conditions, the concentration of
ion pairs is close to the total concentration of free ions and Eq. 8.81 can be
rewritten as
½P ¼ ðK ½M Þ1=2 ð8:83Þ

The concentration of ion pairs is given by
½P ðCþ Þ ¼ ½M ðK ½M Þ1=2 ð8:84Þ

Combination of Eqs. 8.79, 8.83, and 8.84 yields kpapp as a function of ½M :

kp kp K 1=2
kpapp ¼ kp þ ð8:85Þ
½M 1=2
When polymerization is carried out in the presence of excess counterion by
adding a strongly dissociating salt, the concentration of free ions, depressed by the
common ion effect, is given by
ðK ½M Þ
½P ¼ ð8:86Þ
½Cþ
When the added salt is strongly dissociated and the ion pairs slightly dissoci-
ated, the counterion concentration is very close to that of the added salt [CZ]:
½Cþ ’ ½CZ ð8:87Þ

The concentrations of free anions and ion pairs are given by
K ½ M
½P ¼ ð8:88Þ
½CZ
K ½ M
½P ðCþ Þ ¼ ½M ð8:89Þ
½CZ
which are combined with Eq. 8.79 to yield

kp kp K
kpapp ¼ kp þ ð8:90Þ
½CZ
Equations 8.79 and 8.90 allow one to obtain kp , kp and K from kpapp values
obtained in the absence and presence of added common ion. A plot of kpapp
- -1/2
obtained in the absence of added common
ion
versus [M ] yields a straight
line whose slope and intercept are kp kp K 1=2 and kp , respectively. A plot of
kpapp obtained in the presence of added common ion versus [CZ]-1 yields a straight

line whose slope and intercept are kp kp K and kp , respectively. The com-
bination of the two slopes and two intercepts allows the individual calculation of
kp ; kp and K. (Note: K, ½P and ½P ðCþ Þ can also be independently determined
from conductivity measurements.)
The polydispersity (PDI) of living anionic polymerized polymer can be
expressed by the following depending on the mode of termination:
n ¼ 2p½M =½I
X ð8:91Þ
o o
or
n ¼ p½M =½I
X ð8:92Þ
o o
where the ½Mo and ½Io are the initial concentrations of monomer and initiator,
respectively, and the p is the fractional conversion of monomer at any time in the
reaction. Low PDI can be obtained for system that has fast initiation, efficient
mixing, in the absence of de-propagation, termination, and transfer reaction. The
PDI is around 1.1–1.2 for many living polymerizations. The presence of termi-
nation, transfer, or side reaction will broaden the PDI. Although the bulk of
propagation is carried by a small fraction of the propagating species (i.e. the free
ions), this does not significantly broaden the molecular weight of polymer. Since
the free ions and ion pairs are in rapid equilibrium, each polymer chain propagates
as both free ion and ion pair over its lifetime and the average fractions of its
lifetime spent as free ion and ion pair are not too different from any other prop-
agating chain.
Table 8.9 shows the K and the propagation rate constants for free ions and ion
pairs in styrene polymerization in THF at 25°C with various alkali metal coun-
terions. The corresponding kp values in dioxane are also presented. The value of
K and kp in dioxane could not be obtained as conductivity measurements indicated
no detectable dissociation of ion pairs to free ions in dioxane. The reactivity of the
free ion is greater compared to any of the ion pairs as expected. The K values
indicate that the increased solvating power affects the reaction rate primarily
through an increase in the concentration of free ions. Since free ions are so much
more reactive than ion pairs, their small concentration has a very large effect on
the observed polymerization rate. The table shows that the dissociation constant
for the ion pair decreases in going from lithium to cesium as the counterion. The
order of increasing K is the order of increasing solvation of the counterion. The
smaller Li+ is solvated to the greater extent and the larger Cs+ is the least solvated.
The decrease in K has a significant effect on the overall polymerization, since there
is a very significant change in the concentration of the highly reactive free ions.
Thus, the free-ion concentration for polystyryl cesium is less than that of poly-
styryl lithium. The reactivities of the various ion pairs also increase in the same
order as the K values: Li [ Na [ K [ Rb [ Cs. The fraction of the ion pairs that
are of the solvent-separated type increases with increasing solvation of the
counterion. Solvent-separated ion pairs are much more reactive than contact ion
pairs. The order of reactivity for the different ion pairs in dioxane is the reverse of
that in tetrahydrofuran. Solvation is not important in dioxane. The ion pair with the
highest reactivity is that with the weakest bond between the carbanion center and
counterion.
The effect of counterion on ion-pair reactivity is different for methyl methac-
rylate (MMA) compared to styrene as shown in Table 8.10. The absence of solvent
effect by THF for MMA polymerization is due to the presence of intramolecular
solvation. The additional binding of the counterion to the polymer accounts for the
low dissociation constant (K \ 10-9, MMA; compared to 10-7, styrene). Smaller
Table 8.9 Effect of counterion on anionic polymerization of styrene* [3]

Polymerization in tetrahydrofuran
Counterion kp K 9 107 kp kp for dioxane
+ 4
Li 160 2.2 6.5 9 10 0.94
Na+ 80 1.5 6.5 9 104 3.4
K+ 60–80 0.8 6.5 9 104 19.8
Rb+ 50–80 0.1 6.5 9 104 21.5
Cs+ 22 0.02 6.5 9 104 24.5
*Units of K are mole L-1 ; rate constants are L mol-1 s-1
counterions ‘‘fit better’’ into the intramolecular solvation sphere. Table 8.11 shows
a comparison between anionic polymerization and cationic polymerization. The
behaviors of these two polymerizations are quite different although both of them
belong to ionic polymerization.
8.4 Group Transfer Polymerization
Unlike conventional anionic polymerization, group transfer polymerization (GTP)

affords low-polydispersity living polymers at room temperature or above. Typi-
cally, an organosilicon compound is used to initiate the polymerization in solution
in the presence of an anionic or Lewis acid catalyst. Examples of each type of
compounds are given in Table 8.12.
Equation 8.93 shows an example of chemical reactions involved in the group
transfer polymerization. In each propagation step, the SiR3 group is transferred to
the carbonyl oxygen of the incoming monomer, hence the name of GTP is
obtained [4]. If a difunctional initiator is used, the chain propagates from each end
(Eq. 8.94):
R OR CH3 R CH3 OSiR3

HF2 -
C C + H2C C RO 2C C CH2 C C
R OSiR3 CO2CH3 R OCH3
CH3 R CH3 CH3 OSiR3

n H 2C C CO 2CH 3
RO 2C C CH2 C CH2 C C
n
R CO 2CH3 OCH3
ð8:93Þ
Table 8.10 Comparison of effect of counterion on anionic polymerization between styrene and
methyl methacrylate
Cation Styrene Methyl methacrylate
Li+ 160 1
Na+ 80 *30–33
K+ 60–80 *30–33
Rb+ 50–80 *30–33
Cs+ 22 *30–33
Table 8.11 Comparison between cationic polymerization and anionic polymerization

Factor Anionic Cationic
Propagating species Anionic ion pair/free ions Cationic ion pair/free
ions
Difference in ion pair/free ion Large Small
reactivity
Temperature sensitivity Relative small Large
ER = Ei + Ep - Et Positive Negative (mostly
Et [ Ei + Ep)
Solvent Aliphatic/aromatic hydrocarbon and Prefer polar solvent
ether
Halogenated solvent No (facile nucleophilic substitution Yes
Rx)
Living polymerization Most Seldom
CO2R OSiMe3
CH2SSiMe3 CH2S CH2CH CH2CH C OR
ZnI2 n
+ H2C CHCO2R
CH2SSiMe3 CH2S CH2CH CH2CH C OR
n
CO2R OSiMe3
ð8:94Þ
Once the monomer is consumed, a different monomer may be added, or the

chain can be terminated by removal of catalyst or by protonation (Eq. 8.95) or
alkylation (Eq. 8.95)
8.4 Group Transfer Polymerization(GTP) 211
Table 8.12 Representative compounds used in group transfer polymerization [4]

Monomersa Initiatorsa Catalystsa Solvents
H2C CHCO2R OMe Anionicb Acetonitrile
Me2C C HF2- 1,2-Dichloroethaned
OSiMe3
CN- Dichloromethaned
Me Me3SiCH2CO2Me N3- N,N-Dimethylacetamide
H2C CCO2R Me3SiF2 N,N-Dimethylacetamide
H2C CHCONR2 Me3SiCN Lewis acidc Ethyl acetate
H2C CHCN RSSiMe3 ZnX2 Propylene carbonate
R2AlCl Tetrahydrofuran
Me ArSSiMe3 (R2Al)2O Toluened
H2C CCN
O
H 2C CHCR
a
R = alkyl, Ar = aryl, Me = methyl, X = halogen
b
0.1 mol % relative to initiator
c
10–20 mol % relative to monomer
d
Preferred with Lewis acid catalysts
CH3
CH2CH
(8.95)
CH 3OH
CH3 OSiR3 CO2CH3
CH2 C C
CH3 (8.96)
OCH3 C 6H 5CH2 Br
CH2CCH2C6H5
CO2CH3
There are two reaction mechanisms proposed for the GTP. Equation 8.97 shows
the propagating chain is completely covalent, and a hypervalent silicon interme-
diate is formed by activation with the nucleophilic catalyst (Nu-). The silyl group
is then transferred to the carbonyl group of an incoming monomer molecule via an
eight-membered ring transition state. If Lewis acid catalysts are used, the catalyst
coordinates with the carbonyl oxygen of monomer, then the monomer becomes
more susceptible to nucleophilic attack by the initiator.
R OR R OR
C C Nu
R OR R C C
Nu R O SiR3 O
C C H2C OSiR3
H2C O
R OSiR3 C C
C C
H3C OCH3
H3C OCH3
ð8:97Þ
Equation 8.98 shows enolate anions and silyl ketene acetal chain ends are in
rapid equilibrium with a hypervalent silicon complex. The complex thus provides
a low equilibrium concentration of enolate anions for propagation and maintaining
living chain ends.
CH2 OSiR3 O H2C

C C + C C
H3C OCH3 H3CO CH3
ð8:98Þ
CH2 O SiR3 O H2C
C C C C
H3C OCH3 H3CO CH3
Group transfer polymerization (GTP) requires the absence of materials such as

H2O with active hydrogen, but O2 does not interface with the reaction. Solvent
types are wider than anionic polymerization. In anionic polymerization, dimeth-
ylformamide reacts with nucleophilic catalyst; chlorinated hydrocarbons, aceto-
nitrile reacts with Lewis acid catalyst; ether, tetrahydrofuran and toluene are the
most common solvents. The GTP lacks anionic propagation center, thus more
polar solvent can be used. The concerted reaction mechanism of group transfer
polymerization can reduce the side reaction problems of anionic polymerization.
However, the GTP has a lower rate of propagation than that of anionic poly-
merization. It remains to be seen whether or not the GTP is used commercially in
the near future.
8.5 Chain Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer 213
8.5 Chain Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer
The polymerization of the carbonyl group in aldehydes yields polymers, referred

to as polyacetals, since they contain the acetal repeating structure (Eq. 8.99).
R R R R
C O C O C O C O
ð8:99Þ
H H H H
Polyacetal
They have to be synthesized by either cationic or anionic polymerization at low

temperatures, because they exhibit low ceiling temperature except formaldehyde
as shown in Table 8.13.
8.5.1 Anionic Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer
Formaldehyde can be polymerized by any base. Metal alkyls, alkoxides, phenolate,

carboxylates, hydrated alumina, amine, phosphine, pyridine are effective in
polymerizing formaldehyde. The polymerization proceeds as follows:
Initiation
H2C O A CH2 O-(G+) ð8:100Þ
Propagation
A CH2 O CH2 O-(G +) + H2C O A CH2 O CH2 O-(G +)

n n+1
ð8:101Þ
Termination by chain transfer
A CH2 O CH2 O-(G +) + ZH A CH2 O CH2 OH + Z-(G +)

n n
ð8:102Þ
The aldehyde is initiated by anionic species A- to form an alkoxide anion with

nearby counterion G+. Propagation proceeds in a like manner and termination
occurs by transfer of a proton from ZH. The chain-transfer agent ZH can transfer a
proton to the propagating alkoxide anion, such as water or alcohol. The chain-
Table 8.13 Ceiling Monomer Tc (°C)

temperatures [5]
Formaldehyde 119
Trifluoroacetaldehyde 81
Propanol -31
Acetaldehyde -39
Pentanal -42
transfer agent can have an effect on the polymerization rate if Z- is not as effective
as A- in reinitiating polymerization.
Strong bases are required to initiate aliphatic aldehydes such as acetaldehyde
and high aldehyde. The inductive effect of an alkyl substituent destabilizes the
propagating anion 4 by increasing the negative charge density on oxygen. The
alkyl group also decreases reactivity for steric reasons. Steric considerations are
probably also responsible for low ceiling temperature as compared to formalde-
hyde. Alkali metal alkyls and alkoxides are required to initiate the polymerization.
The presence of trace amount of water is detrimental, since the initiator reacts to
form hydroxide ion, which is too weak to initiate polymerization. Ketones 4 are
unreactive toward polymerization because of the steric and inductive effects of two
alkyl groups. A side reaction of aldol condensation occurs with acetaldehyde and
higher aldehydes containing a-hydrogens. The Aldol reaction can be extensive at
ambient temperatures or higher but it can be avoided by polymerization at low
temperature. The substitution of halogens on the alkyl group of an aliphatic
aldehyde greatly enhances its polymerizability. Trichloroacetaldehyde (chloral) is
easily polymerized by weak bases: pyridine, alkali thiocyanates, and even chloride
ion. Furthermore, the polymerization of chloral by n-butyl lithium at -78°C can
be completed in less than a second. The electron-withdrawing inductive effect of
the halogens acts to stabilize the propagating anion 5 by decreasing the charge
density on the negative oxygen.
C O CCl3
R CH O
4 5
8.5 Chain Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer 215
8.5.2 Cationic Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer
Acidic initiators can be used to polymerize carbonyl monomers, although their

reactivity is lower than that in anionic polymerization. Hydrochloric acid, acetic
acid, Lewis acid can be used as cationic initiator. The initiation and propagation
steps are shown in the following:
Initiation
R R
O C + HA HO C+(A-) ð8:103Þ
H H
Propagation
R R R
H O CHR O C +(A -) + O C H O CHR O C+(A -)
n n+1
H H H
ð8:104Þ
Termination
R R
H O CHR O C+(A-) + H2O H O CHR O C OH + HA

n+1 n+1
H H
ð8:105Þ
Competing side reactions in cationic polymerization of carbonyl monomers

include cyclotrimerization, acetyl interchange. Acetaldehyde and higher aldehyde
are reasonably reactive in cationic polymerization as compared to formaldehyde.
Haloaldehydes are lower in reactivity as compared to their non-halogen counter-
parts due to the electron withdrawing of halogen.
8.5.3 Radical Polymerization of Carbonyl Monomer
The carbonyl double bond is difficult to be polymerized by radical initiators

because of the carbonyl group being highly polarized and not prone to be attached
by radical; most radicals are produced at temperatures above the ceiling temper-
ature of carbonyl monomers [5]. There are, however, a few isolated cases of
carbonyl polymerizations by radical initiators. Trifluoroacetaldehyde has been
polymerized using benzoyl peroxide at 22°C. The polymerization is slow, with

18 h required to obtain 90 % conversion. However, fluorothiocarbonyl monomers
such as thiocarbonyl fluoride have been polymerized at high rates by using a
trialkyl boron-oxygen redox system at -78°C. Thioacetone is also polymerized by
this redox system. Radical polymerizations are observed with these monomers
because the electron-withdrawing substituents on the carbonyl and thiocarbonyl
group decrease its polarity. The greater susceptibility of the thiocarbonyl double
bond to radical polymerization is due to the lower electronegativity of sulfur
compared to oxygen.
8.5.4 End-Capping Polymerization
The low ceiling temperature of polyacetal can be end capped to increase its sta-
bility. Depolymerization occurs on heating of polyoxymethylene (POM) when
reactive carbanion or carbocation centers are formed by thermal bond scission at
the hydroxyl end groups. The stability of POM can be improved by converting the
less stable hydroxyl end groups into more stable ester groups by reaction with an
anhydride [5]:
(RCO) 2O
HO CH 2O CH 2OH ROOC CH 2O CH 2COOR
n n
ð8:106Þ
This reaction is referred to as end capping or end blocking. The result is that
reactive carbanion or carbocation centers do not form and depolymerization does
not occur at the ceiling temperature of the polymer. The polymer chains are end
blocked from depolymerization. The effective ceiling temperature is increased
considerably above the ceiling temperature. Acetic anhydride is the usual capping
reagent.
The anionic polymerization formaldehyde to POM followed by end capping is
carried out commercially with a trade name of Delrin. The POM is highly crys-
talline (60–77 %) because of the ease of packing of single, polar polymer chain
(Tm = 175°C). The commercial products have number-average molecular weights
of 20,000–70,000 (PDI * 2). The POM has a good combination of properties—
high strength, toughness, resistant to creep, fatigue, and abrasion; low coefficient
of friction; low moisture absorption.
8.6 Problems 217
8.6 Problems
1. Give clear explanations for the following facts:

a. Polymerization rate and polymer stereochemistry are more sensitive to
solvent effects in ionic polymerization than in free radical polymerization.
b. DP ¼ m in cationic polymerization, but this is not always the case in free
radical or anionic polymerization.
c. Ethyl vinyl ether undergoes cationic polymerization faster than b-chlo-
roethyl vinyl ether under the same conditions.
2. Predict the order of reactivity (and justify your prediction): (a) in cationic
polymerization: styrene, p-methoxystyrene, p-chlorostyrene, p-methylstyrene;
(b) in anionic polymerization: styrene, 2-vinylpyridine, 3-vinylpyridine, 4-
vinylpyridine.
3. Write reactions illustrating transfer to monomer and transfer to polymer in the
cationic polymerization of propylene and isobutylene. Which type of transfer
would you expect to predominate in each case? Suggest a reason why pro-
pylene does not form high-molecular-weight polymer under cationic condi-
tions. (Note: The order of stability of carbocations is tertiary [ allylic [
secondary [ primary).
4. If trifluoroacetic acid is added dropwise to styrene, no polymerization occurs.
On the other hand, styrene is added to the acid, however, high-molecular-
weight polymer forms rapidly. Please explain.
5. What number-average molecular weight of polystyrene will be formed by
polymerization of 2.0 M styrene using 1.0 9 10-3 M of sodium naphthalene
in tetrahydrofuran using appropriate data from Table 8.9? If the reaction is run
at 25°C, how long will it take to reach 90 % conversion?
6. Predict the structure of the soluble polymer formed from 2,6-diphenyl-1,
6-heptadiene under anionic conditions. Write a mechanism for its formation.
7. Predict the structure of the polymer formed by (a) group transfer, (b) cationic,
and (c) free radical polymerization of p-vinylbenzyl methacrylate (C. Pugh
and V. Percec, Polym. Bull., 14, 109 (1985)).
CH3
H2C C CO2CH 2 CH CH2
8. Silyl vinyl ethers are polymerized in the presence of aldehyde initiators and
Lewis acid catalysts to give silylated poly (vinyl alcohol):
ZnBr 2
R CHO + H 2C CHOSiR 3 R CH CH 2CH CH 2CHO
n
OSiR 3 OSiR 3
Propose a mechanism for the polymerization (D. Y. Sogah and O.W. Webster,
Macromolecules, 19, 1775, 1986).
9. Please propose experimental approaches to determine whether the polymeri-
zation of a particular monomer is by a radical or ionic mechanism.
10. The sodium naphthalene polymerization of methyl methacrylate is carried out
in benzene and tetrahydrofuran solutions. Which solution will yield the highest
polymerization rate? Please discuss the effect of solvent on the relative con-
centrations of the different types of propagating centers.
References
1. M. Szwarc, Ionic Polymerization Fundamentals. (Hanser Publishers, Munich, 1996)

2. A. Nakamura, S. Ito, K. Nozaki, Chem. Rev. 109, 5215–5244 (2009)
3. J. Brandrup, E.H. Immergut, E.A. Grulke, A. Abe, D.R. Bloch, Polymer Handbook, 4th edn.
(Wiley, New York, 2005)
4. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn, Chapter 7. (Oxford University Press, New York,
1999)
5. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 4th edn, Chapter 5, (Wiley Interscience, New York,
2004)
6. H. Lim, K.T. Huang, W.F. Su, C.Y. Chao, J. Polym. Sci. Pt. A Polym. Chem. 48, 3311–3322
(2010)
Chapter 9
Coordination Polymerization
The coordination polymerization is invented by two Italian scientists: Karl Ziegler

and Giulio Natta. They shared the nobel prize in chemistry in 1963 using Ziegler–
Natta catalysts to polymerize nonpolar monomers: 1-alkene, cycloalkenes, dienes,
and alkynes through coordination mechanism instead of common chain or step
polymerization [1]. The polymers can exhibit stereo specificity if the monomer
contains unsymmetrical carbon. Since the 1960s, both heterogeneous and homo-
geneous Ziegler–Natta catalysts have been developed. The heterogeneous catalysts
consist of transition metal compound (e.g., titanium chloride) and organometallic
compounds (e.g., aluminum alkyl halide) as cocatalyst. The homogeneous cata-
lysts are made from transition metal metallocene and aluminum alkyl halide. The
metallocene is a compound typically consisting of two cyclopentadienyl anions
(Cp, which is C5H5-) bound to a metal center (M) in the oxidation state II, with the
resulting general formula (C5H5)2M. However, the homogeneous catalysts exhibit
low activity, not until 1980, W. Kaminsky found that the catalytical effects of
homogeneous Ziegler–Natta catalysts can be greatly enhanced by the addition of
cocatalysts derived from the reaction of aluminum alkyl with water (e.g., meth-
ylalumoxanes (MAO)) [2]. The cyclopentadienyl group of metallocenes in the
homogeneous catalysts provides defined space that can control the stereo speci-
ficity of the polymer better than that of heterogeneous catalysts. Table 9.1 shows
some of commercial polymers synthesized by coordination catalysts.
9.1 Heterogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization
9.1.1 Catalysts
The Ziegler–Natta initiators are the only initiators that polymerize a–olefins such
as propene and 1-butene which can not be polymerized by either radical or ionic
initiators. Thousands of different combinations of transition and Group I-III metal

220 9 Coordination Polymerization
Table 9.1 Commercially available polymers synthesized with complex coordination catalysts [3]
Polymer Principal Typical uses
stereochemistry
Polyethylene, high density – Bottles, drums, pipe, conduit, sheet, film,
(HDPE) wire and cable insulation
Polyethylene, ultrahigh – Surgical prostheses, machine parts,
molecular weight heavy-duty liners
(UHMWPE)
Polypropylene Isotactic Automobile and appliance parts, rope,
cordage, webbing, carpeting, film
Poly(1-butene) Isotactic Film, pipe
Poly(4-methy1-1- Pentene)a Isotactic Packaging, medical supplies, lighting
Polystyrene Syndiotactic Specialty plastics
1,4-Polybutadiene trans Metal can coatings, potting compounds
for transformers
1,4-Polyisoprene trans Golf ball covers, orthopedic devices
Ethylene-1-alkeneb copolymer – Blending with LDPE, packaging film,
(linear low density bottles
polyethylene, LLDPE)
Ethylene–propylene block Isotactic Food packaging, automotive trim, toys,
copolymers (polyallomers) bottles, film, heat-sterilizable
containers
Polydicyclopentadienec – Reaction injection molding(RIM)
structural plastics
1,4-Polybutadiene cis Tires, conveyer belts, wire and cable
insulation, foot-ware
1,4-Polyisoprene cis Tires, foot-ware, adhesives, coated fabrics
Poly(1-octenylene) trans Blending with other elastomers
(polyoctenamer)c
Poly(1,3-cyclo- trans Molding compounds, engine mounts, car
pentenylenevinylene) bumper guards
(norbornene polymer)c
Polypropylene(amorphous) – Asphalt blends, sealants, adhesives, cable
coatings
Ethylene–propylene copolymer – Impact modifier for polypropylene, car
(EPM,EPR) bumper guards
Ethylene–propylene-diene – Wire and cable insulation, weather
copolymer (EPDM) stripping, tire side walls, hose, seals
a
Usually copolymerized with small amounts of 1-pentene
b
1-Butene, 1-hexene, and 1-octene
c
Synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization of the corresponding cycloalkene
components, often together with other compounds such as electron donors, studied
for use in alkene polymerizations [4].
Catalysts are prepared by mixing the compounds in a dry, inert solvent in the
absence of oxygen usually at a low temperature. The mixture of aluminum
compound with titanium compound is to form radical, the first of this kind catalyst
being used as shown below.
9.1 Heterogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization 221
Table 9.2 Variation of polypropylene isotaciticity with catalyst [3]

Catalysta Stereoregularity (%)
AlEt3 ? TiCl4 35
AlEt3 ? b-TiCl3 45
AlEt3 ? a-TiCl3 85
AlEt3 ? ZrCl4 55
AlEt3 ? VCl3 73
AlEt3 ? TiCl4 ? P,As or Sb compounds 35
AlEt2X ? TiCl3 90–99
AlEtX2 ? c-TiCl3 ? amine 99
a
Et = ethyl; X = halogen
AlR3 þ TiCl4 ! AlR2 Cl þ TiRCl3 ð9:1Þ
AlR2 Cl þ TiCl4 ! AlRCl2 þ TiRCl3 ð9:2Þ
AlR3 þ TiRCl3 ! AlR2 Cl þ TiR2 Cl2 ð9:3Þ
TiRCl3 ! TiCl3 þ R ð9:4Þ
TiR2 Cl2 ! TiRCl2 þ R ð9:5Þ

Further reduction may also occur:
TiRCl2 ! TiCl2 þ R ð9:6Þ
TiRCl3 ! TiCl2 þ RCl ð9:7Þ

In addition, TiCl3 may be formed by the equilibrium
TiCl4 þ TiCl2
2TiCl3 ð9:8Þ
The stereo regularity of the polymers depends on the type of catalysts used as
shown in Table 9.2 which indicates the isotacticity of polypropylene is varied
by different catalyst. Syndiotactic polypropylene has been prepared under both
heterogeneous and homogeneous conditions, but only under homogeneous con-
dition a high degree of syndiotactic placement has been achieved.
With the appropriate choice of catalyst, specific stereochemical arrangements of
polymerization of diene monomer can be obtained as shown in Tables 9.3, and 9.4.
The 1,3-butadiene monomer will obtain cis-1,4; trans-1,4; isotactic 1,2-, and
syndiotactic 1,2-polymers. The isoprene monomer will obtain cis- and trans-1,4;
1,2-; and 3,4-polymers.
The cis polymer is usually formed at relative low temperature, for instance,
polymerization of acetylene using an AlðC2 H5 Þ3 TiðOC4 H9 nÞ4 catalyst yields
cis polymer at temperatures below –78°C, but trans polyacetylene is formed at
150°C. The result may be due to thermal isomerization of the initially formed cis
polymer.
Table 9.3 Catalysts for the stereospecific polymerization of butadiene [3]

Catalysta Yield (%) Polymer structureb
R3Al ? VCl4 97–98 trans-1,4
R3Al ? VCl3 99 trans-1,4
R3Al ? VOCl3 97–98 trans-1,4
R3Al ? TiI4 93–94 cis-1,4
R2AlCl ? CoCl2 96–97 cis-1,4
R3Al ? Ti(OC4H9)4 90–100 1,2
Et3Al ? Cr(C6H5CN)6;Al/Cr = 2 *100 st-1,2
Et3Al ? Cr(C6H5CN)6;Al/Cr = 10 *100 it-1,2
a
Et = ethyl
b
st = syndiotactic, it = isotactic
Table 9.4 Catalysts for the stereospecific polymerization of isoprene [3]

Catalysta Yield (%) Polymer Structure
R3Al ? a-TiCl3 91 trans-1,4
Et3Al ? VCl3 99 trans-1,4
Et3Al ? TiCl4; Al/Ti \ 1 95 trans-1,4
Et3Al ? TiCl4; Al/Ti [ 1 96 cis-1,4
Et3Al ? Ti(OR)4 95 3,4
a
Et = ethyl
R R R
R R
n n ð9:9Þ
R
9.1.2 Reaction Mechanisms
The coordination polymerization of alkene can be preceded either by monome-

tallic mechanism or bimetallic mechanism depending on the catalyst. Scheme 9.1
shows the reaction mechanism of substituted alkene being polymerized by using
titanium compound catalyst. The double bond of alkene will undergo cis addition
and coordinate with the empty orbital of titanium compound to form four mem-
bered ring coordinate intermediate I. The stereo specificity of substituted alkene is
preserved via intermediate I. Then the bond is formed on the Ti compound cat-
alyst. If the catalyst is made from aluminum compound and titanium compound,
the polymerization will proceed through bimetallic mechanism as shown in
Scheme 9.2. A bridge structure II is formed between two metal compounds first.
Then the substituted alkene is coordinated with Ti compound to form six-
membered ring coordination III. The stereo specificity of substituted alkene is
preserved via intermediate III.
The polymer chain grows from the catalyst surface by successive insertion
reactions of complexed monomer and the R group originally present in the
X H X H
R R R
Cl H2C CHX Cl C Cl C
Cl Ti Cl Ti Cl Ti
Cl Cl C Cl C
Cl Cl Cl
H H H H
I
R
R H CH X
Cl C
Cl Ti CH2 CH 2
X
Cl Cl
Cl Cl Ti
Cl
Cl
Scheme 9.1 Monometallic mechanism of Ziegler–Natta polymerization of substituted alkene
−
δ
R H2C CHX R δ+ R
Ti Al Ti Al Ti
Al
R R −
R +
δ δ
II H2C CH HC CH
X
X
X R R
CH2 CH CH X CH X
−
+
δ
Ti R δ CH2 CH 2
R Al Ti Al Ti Al
R R
III
Scheme 9.2 Bimetallic mechanism of Ziegler–Natta polymerization of substituted alkene
organometallic cocatalyst ends up as the terminal group of the chain. Monomer

activity decreases with increasing steric hindrance about the double bond as shown
below:
CH2 ¼ CH2 [ CH2 ¼ CHCH3 [ CH2 ¼ CHCH2 CH3 [ CH2 ¼ CHCH2 CHðCH3 Þ2 [
CH2 ¼ CHCHðCH3 Þ2 [ CH2 ¼ CHCHðCH2 CH3 Þ2 [ CH2 ¼ CH CðCH3 Þ3
The reaction has the characteristic of living anionic polymerization. The

reaction is usually terminated by active hydrogen as shown in the following
Eqs. 9.10–9.15. Hydrogen is the preferred transfer agent for controlling molecular
weight due to low cost and clean reaction but the termination reaction is usually
carried out by hydrogen containing compounds as shown in Eq. 9.15 [3].
Fig. 9.1 Three types of

polymerization rate observed A
in Ziegler–Natta
polymerization: a constant.
Polymerization
b decaying. and c decaying to

constant [3] B
rate
Time
The relationship between the polymerization rate and time is shown in Fig. 9.1.
The decaying rate type is most common. That is due to structural changes from the
reducing the number or activity of active centers. It is also due to the encapsulation
of active centers by polymer which prevents approach by monomer.
Molecular weight distributions are generally broad when insoluble catalysts are
used and much narrower with soluble catalysts. The board distribution may arise
from the decay of catalyst activity or from the presence of sites of variable activity.
There are two theories to explain the reaction mechanisms of coordination of
dienes. One theory is based on whether the catalyst coordinates one or both double
bonds of the diene. Coordination of one would thus lead to 1,2-polymerization and
coordination of both to 1,4-polymerization. Another theory is based on the
Scheme 9.3 Reaction mechanisms of coordination of dienes [3]
coordination of a p-allylic structure that directs the monomer approaching direc-

tion and determines the polymer structure (Scheme 9.3). If the monomer
approaches the CH2-metal (M) bond of the complex, 1,4-polymerization forms
(Eq. 9.16). If it approaches the CH-metal bond, 1,2-polymerization results
(Eq. 9.17). This mechanism provides no information on the geometric arrange-
ment of the double bond or the tacticity at a stereogenic carbon.
9.2 Homogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization
The homogeneous Ziegler–Natta polymerization using metallocene catalysts such

as bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride 1, and dialkylaluminum chloride 2.
Their structures are shown below.
Cp2 TiCl2 R2 AlCl
1 2
Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit low catalytic activity towards ethylene and are
generally unreactive toward propylene. The addition of water increases the
activity substantially. The increase is the result of a reaction between the water
and the alkylaluminum cocatalyst to form complex alkylalumoxanes such as
methyl alumoxanes (MAO). The MAO is used in conjunction with metallocene
catalysts exhibit especially high activities. MAO formed by controlled hydrolysis
of trimethylaluminum that has a complex oligomeric structure with molecular
weights of 1000–1500, most likely consisting of methyl-bridged aluminum atoms
alternating with oxygen as shown in structures 3 and 4. MAO is now used with a
wide variety of metallocenes having the general structure 5. Examples of catalysts
are 6 and 7 which form isotactic and syndiotactic polypropylene, respectively.
O O O
Al Al Al
CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3
CH3
Al Al Al
O O O (CH3) 2Al O Al Al(CH3)2
3 4
R
R
X
Z M
X
R
R
(H3C)2Si ZrCl2 (H3C)2C ZrCl2
6 7
Metallocene has well-defined molecular structure and polymerization occurs at

one position in the molecule, the transition metal atoms. Thus, the metallocene is
also called single-site catalyst in contrast to the multi active site of heterogeneous
catalyst. Scheme 9.4 shows an example of the formation of active site in a zir-
conium catalyst, L2ZrCl2 (where L represents the p ligands) which involves initial
complexation between MAO and the catalyst, is followed by Cl-CH3 exchange to
L CH 3 CH3
Zr + Al O Al(CH3)O
L CH 3 CH3
Al(CH3)O
δ-
L O CH3 L δ+ O Al(CH3)O
L Zr Zr Zr + Al(CH3 )3
CH3 CH3 CH3 L CH3
Scheme 9.4 Formation of the active site in a zirconocene catalyst

9.2 Homogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization 227
δ- δ- O δ-
O O O Al O O
Al Al
L δ+ L δ+ O L δ+
O O
Zr CH2 Zr CH2 Zr CH2
L CH L L
2 CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2
CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2
Scheme 9.5 Possible polymerization mechanism for ethylene using zirconocene catalyst
form L2Zr(CH3)2. The methylated zirconocene reacts further with MAO to form
the active species of 8.
Scheme 9.5 shows the possible polymerization mechanisms of ethylene using
zirconocene catalyst. The ethylene is cis added to the empty orbital of Zr site to
form transition site, then is further on to precede polymerization.
The comparison between metallocene catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts for
alkene polymerization is shown in Table 9.5. The metallocene out performs over
the heterogeneous catalysts. Heterogeneous catalysts contain sites of variable
activity that accounts for the large PDI. Metallocene catalysts differ from hetero-
geneous catalysts is that they are capable of polymerizing strained cyclo alkenes
such as cyclobutene or norbornene 9 through the double bond to yield crystalline
stereoregular polymers (Eq. 9.18). Ring-opening polymerization of cycloalkene
monomers is more common with heterogeneous Ziegler–Natta catalysts.
ð9:18Þ
The molecular weight decreases with increasing polymerization temperature,

with increasing catalyst concentration, with the addition of hydrogen to the
monomer feed.
The reactivity of metallocene catalyst 10 depends on its chemical structure. The
M of metallocene can be Zr, Ti or Hf. The X is Cl or alkyl; Z is an optional
bridging group, C(CH3)2, Si(CH3)2, or CH2CH2; R is H or alkyl. For the group 4B
metals, the order of activity is Zr [ Ti [ Hf. Alkyl groups on the cyclopentadiene
rings increase catalyst activity if they are not too bulky. Large, bulky alkyl groups
and electron-withdrawing groups decrease the activity. Increasing the size of the
Table 9.5 Comparison between metallocene catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts for alkene
polymerization
Catalyst PDI Catalyst activity Strained cycloalkene
type
Metallocene 2–2.5 10–100 Yes
Heterogeneous 5–6 1 No
groups attached to the atom bridging, the cyclopentadiene rings (C or Si) reduces
the activity. MAO affords much higher catalyst activities than ethyl or higher alkyl
alumoxane cocatalyst.
R
R
X
Z M
X
R
R
10
Achiral catalysts of CpZrCl2, bridged or unbridged yield atactic polymer.

Catalyst 11(chiral) yields isotactic; 12(achiral) yields syndiotactic polymer. The
much different size of the two p ligands of 12 is assumed to play a role in the
formation of syndiotactic polymer. Substitution of a methyl group on the cyclo-
pentadiene ring of 12 results in hemi isotactic polypropylene (mixture of isotactic
and atactic). Catalyst 13 can rotate between chiral and achiral geometries, with the
chiral form being responsible for the isotactic blocks and the achiral form for the
atactic blocks. The isotactic blocks form crystalline microdomains in the polymer
matrix, the stereoblock copolymers exhibit elastomeric properties. The degree of
isotacticity is sensitive to propylene pressure and reaction temperature.
(H 3 C ) 2 S i Z rC l2 (H 3 C) 2 C ZrCl 2
11 12
Ph
Ph
Zr Zr
Cl Cl Cl Cl
Ph Ph
13 14
9.2 Homogeneous Ziegler–Natta Polymerization 229
Scheme 9.6 A mechanism L L

for isotactic placement with a R
M R M
metallocene catalyst [3]
L H H L H
R
H R
L H L
H2 C CHR H R H R
R H R H R
M M
L L
H H R H R
L L
M R M
L L H R H R H R
What are the reaction mechanisms for the stereospecificity of metallocene

catalyzed polymerization? Most models take into account steric interactions
involving the p ligands attached to the metal atom and the last inserted monomer
unit of the polymer chain, as the incoming monomer inserts itself into the con-
strained active site. Scheme 9.6 describes the isotactic placement for 11. Optically
active isotactic polymer will form from pure enantiomer of 11. The larger flu-
orenyl group restricts the approach of the propylene molecule such that one side of
the coordination site is enantioselective to one face of the monomer, and the other
side of the coordination site shows the opposite enantioselectivity. Thus as the
coordination site moves from side to side, syndiotactic polymer is formed.
A methyl group on the cyclopentadiene ring presumably interferes with the
selectivity on one side only. Since only one side of the coordination site is then
stereoselective, a hemi-isotactic polymer forms.
Dow Chemical Company is using metallocene catalysis to produce its new
Questra syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS). Dow has transformed polystyrene—an
amorphous, low melting point, relatively brittle plastic—into a tough crystalline
material with a melting point of 270°C (conventional is 250°C) for electronics,
automotive under-the-hood, engineered films, and medical applications. Therefore
polystyrene can be either low cost common plastic or high performance engi-
neering plastics.
9.3 Ziegler–Natta Copolymerization
Random copolymers of ethylene and 1-alkenes are obtainable with Ziegler–Natta

catalyst. The most important ones are ethylene with 1-alkene (LLDPE) and ethylene
with ethylene propylene monomer (EPM) or ethylene-propylene-diene monomer
(EPDM). Table 9.6 summarizes the reactivity ratio of Ziegler–Natta
Table 9.6 Representative reactivity ratios of Ziegler–Natta copolymerization [3]

Monomer 1 Monomer 2 Catalysta r1 r2
Heterogeneous
Ethylene Propylene TiCl3/AIR3 15.72 0.110
Ethylene Propylene VCl3/AIR3 5.61 0.145
Ethylene 1-Butene VCl3/AIR3 26.90 0.043
Propylene 1-Butene VCl3/AIR3 4.04 0.252
Homogeneous
Ethylene Propylene Cp2ZrMe2 31 0.005
Ethylene Propylene [Z(Ind)2]ZrCl2 6.6 0.060
Ethylene 1-Butene Cp2ZrMe2 55 0.017
Ethylene 1-Hexene Cp2ZrMe2 69 0.020
a
R = C6H13; Cp = cyclopentadiene; Me = methyl; Z = CH2CH2; Ind = indene
copolymerization. The reactivity ratio is the rate constant ratio of monomer toward
itself and toward other monomer and expressed as r 1 ¼ k11 =k12 and r 2 ¼ k22 =k21 .
The determination of reactivity ratio will be discussed in Chap. 10.
Ethylene is more reactive than higher alkenes with both heterogeneous and
homogeneous catalysts. In most instances, r1r2 is close to unity. With hetero
geneous catalysts, a wide range of compositions is generally obtained, possible
because different active sites may give rise to different reactivity ratios, or because
of decay of activity. A more homogeneous polymer composition is obtained with
soluble catalysts, particularly if monomer composition is carefully controlled to
remain relatively constant during polymerization.
There is serious question as to whether the compositions also include significant
amounts of homopolymer. The problem arises with uncertainties over the life-
times of propagating chains, which may become detached from catalyst by chain
transfer, thereby leaving the catalyst still active to initiate homopolymerization of
a second monomer. Thus Ziegler–Natta method is inferior to anionic polymeri-
zation for synthesizing carefully tailored block copolymers.
Kodak’s polyallomers and Uniroyla’s TPR are block copolymer of ethylene and
propylene. They are high impact plastics exhibiting crystallinity characteristics of
both isotactic polypropylene and linear polyethylene. They contain homopolymers
in addition to block copolymers. The conventional random copolymers of ethylene
and propylene are elastomeric nature.
9.4 Metathesis Polymerization
Alkenes undergo a double bond redistribution reaction (Eq. 9.19) called olefin
metathesis in the presence of certain complex coordination catalysts. Bond
redistribution involves cleavage of the double bonds (trans-alkylidenation). Scis-
sion of the single bonds adjacent to the double bonds (trans-alkylation) has been
9.4 Metathesis Polymerization 231
ruled out as a possibility from deuterated alkene experiments. Tungsten com-

pounds are particularly effective for olefin metathesis. The catalysts are formed by
the reaction of tungsten hexachloride (WCl6) with alcohol and ethylaluminum
dichloride (C2H5AlCl2). Other transition metals, notably Ru, Mo, Rh, and Ti are
also effective.
R1CH CHR 2 R1CH CHR2

ð9:19Þ
R1CH CHR 2 R1CH CHR2
The reaction mechanisms of metathesis polymerization are shown in Eq. 9.20.
C C C C C C
+
[M] C [M] C [M] C ð9:20Þ
15 16
Equations 9.21 and 9.22 show two examples of metathesis polymerization.

A double bond containing polymer can be obtained through metathesis polymer-
ization. The method developed in 1970, now it is recognized as a particularly
convenient way to make polymers containing precisely spaced carbon–carbon
double bonds in the polymer backbone.
catalyst
R ð9:21Þ
R
R catalyst R + H 2C CH 2 ð9:22Þ
The Grignard metathesis reaction has been used to synthesize conducting

polymer extensively such as poly(3-hexyl thiophene) as shown in Fig. 5.6 where
the catalyst of Ni(dppp)Cl2 was used [5, 6].
9.5 Problems
1. Explain (a) how sites of variable activity in a heterogeneous catalyst might

result in a polymer of high polydispersity, (b) why molecular hydrogen is useful
for controlling molecular weight in Ziegler–Natta polymerization, and (c) why
only coordination catalysts are effective for polymerizing propylene and higher
1-alkenes. They cannot be polymerized by free radical polymerization.
2. Explain how LDPE and LLDPE differ in terms of structure, synthesis, and
properties.
3. Assuming only head-to-tail polymerization and cis double-bond opening occurs,

give the structure and stereochemical designation of all stereoregular polymers
obtainable in principle by stereospecific polymerization of (a) 2-methyl-1-butene,
(b) trans-2-pentene, (c) isoprene, and (d) propyne.
4. What are the mechanisms for syndiotactic and isotactic placement in propene
polymerization? Please describe the reaction conditions which are favored
either syndiotactic placement or isotactic placement.
5. Please discuss the use of homogeneous versus heterogeneous reaction condi-
tions for the coordination polymerizations of propene, isoprene, styrene, methyl
methacrylate, and n-butyl vinyl ether.
6. Crystalline-crystalline block copolymer of regioregular poly(3-hexyl thio-
phene) and polyethylene can be prepared by ring-opening metathesis poly-
merization (Eq. 9.21). Please write out the reaction mechanism to show how
the copolymer is being synthesized [7].
References
1. J. Boor Jr, Ziegler–Natta Catalysts and Polymerizations (Academic Press, New York, 1979)
2. H. Sinn, W. Kaminsky, H.J. Vollmer, R. Woldt, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 19, 390 (1980)
3. M. P. Stevens, Polymer chemistry (3rd edn., Chapter 8). (Oxford University Press, New York,
1999)
4. Odian, G. (2004). Principles of polymerization (4th edn., Chapter 8). (Wiley, New York, 2004)
5. M.C. Iovu, E.E. Sheina, R.R. Gil, R.D. McCullough, Macromolecules 38, 8649 (2005)
6. M. Jeffries, G. Sauve, R.D. McCullough, Macromolecules 38, 10346 (2005)
7. R.A.J. Janssen et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 12502–12503 (2005)
Chapter 10
Chain Copolymerization
Copolymers [1, 2] contain two or more repeating monomer structures in the

polymer chain. The copolymer can be synthesized by chain polymerization using
two or more type of monomers. It is called chain copolymerization. The process
can be depicted as
M1 + M2 M1 M2 M2 M1 M2 M1 M1M2 ð10:1Þ
The amount of each monomer in the copolymer is determined by their relative

concentration and reactivities. The simultaneous chain polymerization can also be
carried out with more than two type of monomers. Such polymerizations are
generally referred to as multicomponent copolymerizations; the term terpolymer-
ization is specifically used for systems of three kind of monomers.
Copolymerization allows the synthesis of an almost unlimited number of different
products by variations in the chemical structure and relative amounts of two
monomer units or higher in the copolymer product. Thus, polymer can be tailor made
into product with specifically desired properties. Most of commercial polymers are
copolymers. Copolymers are different from polymer blends. Polymer blends are that
polymers mixed physically without chemical bonds. Whereas copolymers are that
polymers contain more than one kind of monomer repeating unit.
There are three different types of copolymer structures—alternating, block, and
graft. The alternating copolymer (I) contains the two monomer units in equimolar
amounts in a regular alternating distribution:
M1 M2 M1 M2 M1M2 ðIÞ
Copolymers are named by following the prefix poly with the names of the two
repeating units. The copolymer is specified by inserting -alt- for alternate, -stat- for
statistic, or -ran- for random in between the names of the two repeating units, but -
co- is used for nonspecific copolymer. A block copolymer (II) is a linear copolymer
with one or more long uninterrupted sequences of each polymeric species.

234 10 Chain Copolymerization
M1 M1 M1 M1 M2 M2 M2 ðIIÞ
While a graft copolymer (III) is a branched copolymer with a backbone of one

kind of monomer to which are attached one or more side chains of another
monomer,
M 1M1M1M1M1M1M1M1M1M1M1
M2
M2
M2
ðIIIÞ
M2
M2
M2
M2
10.1 Reaction Kinetics of Free Radical Copolymerization
The reaction kinetics of free radical copolymerization is similar to the homopoly-

merization. However, one needs to consider the variations in reactivity between
reacting species [3]. Copolymerization of the two monomers leads to two types of
propagating species—one with M1 and the other with M2 at the propagating end
and. These can be represented by M1 and M2 . If one assumed that the reactivity of
the propagating chain is dependent only on the monomer unit at the end of the
chain, four propagation reactions are then possible. Monomers M1 and M2 can each
add either to a propagating chain ending in M1 or to one ending in M2 , they are
k11
M1 : þ M1 !M1 : ð10:2Þ
k12
M1 : þ M2 !M2 : ð10:3Þ
k21
M2 : þ M1 !M1 : ð10:4Þ
k22
M2 : þ M2 !M2 : ð10:5Þ
where k11 is the rate constant for a propagating chain ending in M1 adding to
monomer M1 , k12 is for a propagating chain ending in M1 adding to monomer M2 ,
and so on. The active center of propagating chain is added to same monomer
(i.e., reactions in Eqs. 10.2 and 10.5) is referred to as homopropagation or self-
propagation; if it is added to other monomer (reactions in Eqs. 10.3 and 10.4) is
referred to as cross-propagation or a crossover reaction. To derive the reaction
kinetic equations of copolymerization, we assume the chemical reactivity in a
10.1 Reaction Kinetics of Free Radical Copolymerization 235
copolymerization is dependent only on the identity of the monomer unit at

the growing end and independent of the chain composition preceding the last
monomer unit. All propagation reactions are irreversible.
Monomer M1 disappears by reactions in Eqs. 10.2 and 10.4, while monomer M2
disappears by reactions in Eqs. 10.3 and 10.5. The rates of disappearance of the
two monomers are given by
d½M 1 =dt ¼ k11 ½M 1 ½M 1 þ k21 ½M 2 ½M 1 ð10:6Þ
d½M 2 =dt ¼ k12 ½M1 ½M2 þ k22 ½M2 ½M2 ð10:7Þ

Dividing Eq. 10.6 by Eq. 10.7 yields the ratio of the rates at which the two
monomers enter the copolymer, that is, the copolymer composition, as
d½M1 k11 ½M1 ½M1 þ k21 ½M2 ½M1
¼ ð10:8Þ
d½M2 k12 ½M1 ½M2 þ k22 ½M2 ½M2
In order to remove the concentration terms in M1 and M2 from Eq. 10.8, a
steady-state concentration is assumed for each of the propagating chains M1 and
M2 separately. For the concentrations of M1 and M2 remain constant, their rates
of interconversion must be equal. In other words, the rates of reactions in Eqs. 10.3
and 10.4 must be equal:
k21 ½M2 ½M1 ¼ k12 ½M1 ½M2 ð10:9Þ
Equation 10.9 can be rearranged and combined with Eq. 10.8 to yield
2
k11 k21 ½M2 ½M1
d½M1 k12 ½M2 þ k21 ½M2 ½M1
¼ ð10:10Þ
d½M2 k22 ½M2 ½M2 þ k21 ½M2 ½M1
Dividing the top and bottom of the right side of Eq. 10.10 by k21 ½M2 ½M1 and
combining the result with the parameters r1 and r2, which are defined as
r1 ¼ k11 =k12 and r2 ¼ k22 =k21 ð10:11Þ
One finally obtains
d½M1 ½M1 ðr1 ½M1 þ ½M2 Þ
¼ ð10:12Þ
d½M2 ½M2 ð½M1 þ r2 ½M2 Þ
Equation 10.12 is known as the copolymerization equation or the copolymer
composition equation. The copolymer composition, d½M1 =d½M2 , is the molar ratio
of the two monomer units in the copolymer which is related to the concentrations
of the two monomers in the feed, ½M1 and ½M2 , and the parameters r1 and r2 . The
parameters r1 and r2 are called the monomer reactivity ratios. Each r defines as
the ratio of the rate constant for a propagating chain adding its own type of
monomer to the rate constant for its addition of the other monomer. The tendency
of two monomers to copolymerize is expressed by r values between zero and unity.
A r1 value greater than unity means that M1 preferentially adds M1 instead of M2 ,

while an r1 value less than unity means that M1 preferentially adds M 2 . A r1 value
of zero would mean that M1 is incapable of undergoing homopolymerization.
The copolymerization equation can also be expressed in terms of mole fractions
instead of concentrations. If f1 and f2 are the mole fractions of monomers M1 and
M2 in the feed, and F1 and F2 are the mole fractions of M1 and M2 in the
copolymer, then
f1 ¼ 1 f2 ¼ ½M1 =ð½M1 þ ½M2 Þ ð10:13Þ
and
F1 ¼ 1 F2 ¼ d ½M1 =ðd½M1 þ d½M2 Þ ð10:14Þ
Combining Eqs. 10.13 and 10.14 with Eq. 10.12 yields
2
F1 ¼ r1 f12 þ f1 f2 r1 f1 þ 2f1 f2 þ r2 f22 ð10:15Þ
The copolymerization equation has been experimentally verified in numerous
co-monomer systems. The copolymerization equation is equally useful to radical
and ionic chain copolymerizations, although the r1 and r2 values for any particular
co-monomer pair can be drastically different depending on the mode of initiation.
Thus the r1 and r2 values for the co-monomer pair of styrene (M1 ) and methyl
methacrylate (M2 ) are 0.52 and 0.46 in radical copolymerization, 10 and 0.1 in
cationic polymerization, and 0.1 and 6 in anionic copolymerization [1]. Fig-
ure 10.1 shows that these different r1 and r2 values give rise to large differences in
the copolymer composition depending on the mode of initiation. The ionic
copolymerizations are expected to be more selective than radical copolymeriza-
tion. Methyl methacrylate shows increased reactivity in anionic copolymerization
and decreased reactivity in cationic copolymerization, while the opposite is
observed for styrene. Thus, for an equimolar styrene—methyl methacrylate feed
the copolymer is approximately a 1:1 copolymer in the radical polymerization but
Fig. 10.1 Dependence of the 1.0

Mole fraction styrene in copolymer, F1
instantaneous copolymer
Cationic
composition F1 on the initial
0.8 1
co-monomer feed
composition f1 for styrene-
methyl methacrylate in 0.6 Radical 2
cationic (plot 1), radical
(plot 2), and anionic (plot 3)
copolymerizations initiated 0.4
by SnCl4, benzoyl peroxide,
and Na/liquid NH3, Anionic 3
respectively [1] 0.2
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Mole fraction styrene in comonomer feed, f 1
is mostly styrene in the cationic copolymerization and mostly methyl methacrylate

in the anionic copolymerization.
Radical copolymer is more useful than cationic or anionic copolymer, because
about all the monomers are reacted in the radical copolymer. Since termination
and initiation rate constants are not involved in the copolymer composition
equation, the copolymer composition is independent of difference in the rates of
initiation and termination. Thus, the particular initiation system used in a radical
copolymerization has no effect on copolymer composition. The copolymer com-
position is also independent on the absence or presence of inhibitions or chain
transfer agents. Therefore, under a wide range of conditions, the copolymer
composition is independent of the degree of polymerization.
10.1.1 Types of Copolymerization Behavior
Different types of copolymerization behavior are observed depending on the

reactivity ratios of monomers [4]. Copolymerizations can be classified into three
types: (1) r1 r2 ¼ 1, (2) r1 r2 \1, (3) r1 r2 [ 1. When the r1 r2 product is unity, the
reaction is called ideal copolymerization. Ideal copolymerization occurs when the
two types of propagating chains M1 and M 2 show the same preference for adding
one or the other of the two monomers. Under these conditions
k22 =k21 ¼ k12 =k11 or r2 ¼ 1=r1 ð10:16Þ
and the relative rates of incorporation of the two monomers into the copolymer is
independent of the identity of the unit at the end of the propagating chains. Thus,
by combination Eq. 10.16 with Eqs. 10.12 or 10.15 reduces the copolymerization
equation to
d ½M1 =d ½M2 ¼ r ½M1 =½M2 ð10:17aÞ
or
F1 ¼ r1 f1 =ðr1 f1 þ f2 Þ ð10:17bÞ
Most of ionic copolymerizations are ideal type. When r1 r2 ¼ 1, the two
monomers show equal reactivity toward both propagating chains. The copolymer
composition is the same as the two monomers along the copolymer chain. This
behavior is called random or Bernoullian. For the case, where the two monomer
reactivity ratios are different, that is, r1 [ 1 and r2 \ 1 or r1 \ 1 and r2 [ 1, one
of the monomers is more reactive than the other toward both propagating chains.
The copolymer will contain a larger proportion of the more reactive monomer in
random placement. Figure 10.2 shows the variation in the copolymer composition
as a function of the co-monomer feed composition for different value of r1 . When,
for example, r1 = 10, r2 = 0.1, copolymer cannot contain appreciable amounts of
M2 . Thus, a co-monomer feed composition of 80 mol% M2 ðf2 ¼ 0:8Þ would yield

Mole fraction M 1 in copolymer, F1

co-monomer feed 0.8
composition f1 for the
10
indicated values of r1 where 5
r1r2 = 1 [1] 0.6 2
1
0.5
0.4 0.2
0.1
0.2
0
1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
Mole fraction M 1 in comonomer feed, f 1
a copolymer containing only 18.5 mol% M2 ðf2 ¼ 0:185Þ. It is only r1 r2 , a large

range of co-monomer feed compositions which gives copolymer contain appre-
ciable amount of both monomers.
The term ideal copolymerization does not mean it is a desirable process. It is
used to explain the process becomes processively more difficult to produce
copolymers containing appreciable amounts of both monomers as the difference in
r1 and r2 increases. For example, r1 = 10 and r2 = 0.1, the extreme ideal behavior
occurs when r1 and r2 are very different, the obtained copolymers do not contain
appreciable amounts of M2. To yield copolymers containing appreciable amounts
of both monomers, a larger range of co-monomer feed compositions, can be used
only for r1 and r2 do not differ markedly (e.g., r1 ¼ 0:5, r2 ¼ 2).
When r1 r2 ¼ 0, the two monomers enter into the copolymer in equimolar
amounts in a nonrandom, alternating arrangement along the copolymer chain. This
type of copolymerization is referred to as alternating copolymerization. Each of
the two types of propagating chains preferentially adds to the other monomer, that
is, M1 adds only M2 and M2 adds only M1 , the copolymerization equation reduces
to
d ½M1 =d ½M2 ¼ 1 ð10:18aÞ
or
F1 ¼ 0:5 ð10:18bÞ
The copolymer has the alternating structure irrespective of the co-monomer
feed composition. The behavior of most co-monomer systems lies between the two
extremes of ideal and alternating copolymerization.
As the r1 r2 product decreases from unity toward zero, there is an increasing
tendency toward alternation. Perfect alternation will occur when r1 and r2 become
progressively less than unity. The range of behaviors can be seen by considering the

Mole fraction M 1 in copolymer, F1

r1 = 1
co-monomer feed 0.8
r1 = 2
composition f1 for the
r 1 = 0.5
indicated values of r2 being
0.6
constant at 0.5 [1]
r1 = 0
0.4
0.2
0
1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2
Mole fraction M 1 in comonomer feed, f 1
situation where r2 remains constant at 0.5 and r1 varies between 2 and 0.

Figure 10.3 shows the copolymer composition as a function of the feed composi-
tion in these cases. The curve for r1 ¼ 2 is ideal copolymerization. As r1 decreases
below 2, there is an increasing tendency toward the alternating behavior with each
type of propagating chains preferring to add to the other monomer. The increasing
alternation tendency is measured by the tendency of the product r1 r2 to approach
zero. When r1 r2 is very small or zero, the alternation tendency is very large and the
range of copolymer compositions that can be obtained is again limited. In the
extreme case, only the 1:1 alternating copolymer can be produced for r1 r2 ¼ 0.
For values of r1 r2 \1, the F1 versus f1 curves are across the line of F1 = f1. At
these intersections or crossover points the copolymer and feed composition are the
same. The copolymerization occurred without a change in the feed composition is
called ‘‘azeotropic copolymerization’’. The copolymerization Eq. 10.12 can be
reduced to
d½M1 =d½M2 ¼ ½M1 =½M2 ; as
½M1 =½M2 ¼ ðr2 1Þ=ðr1 1Þ ð10:19aÞ

or
f1 ¼ ð1 r2 Þ=ð2 r1 r2 Þ ð10:19bÞ
For the special case of r1 r2 (i.e. r1 1 and r2 1), both types of prop-
agating chains preferentially add to monomer M1 . There is a tendency toward
‘‘consecutive homopolymerization’’ of the two monomers to form block copoly-
mer. For example, the radical polymerization of styrene and vinyl acetate with
monomer reactivity ratios of 55 and 0.01 produces block copolymer.
For all copolymerizations except azeotropic copolymerization, the co-monomer
feed and copolymer compositions are different. There is a drift in the co-monomer
composition toward the less reactive monomer as the degree of conversion

increases. Skeist [5] developed a useful method to analyze copolymer composition
as a function of conversion. Consider a system initially containing a total of M
moles of the two monomers and in which the copolymer formed is richer in
monomer M1 than is the feed (that is, F1 [ f1 ). When dM moles of monomers have
been copolymerized, the polymer will contain F1 dM moles of monomer 1 and the
feed will contain (M dM) (f1 - df1) moles of monomer 1. A material balance
for monomer 1 requires that the moles of M1 copolymerized is equal to the
difference in the moles of M1 in the feed before and after reaction, or
Mf1 ðM dM Þðf1 df1 Þ ¼ F1 dM ð10:20Þ
Equation 10.20 can be rearranged and converted to the integral form
Z M Z f1
dM M df1
¼ ln ¼ ð10:21Þ
M0 M M 0 ðf1 Þ0 ð F 1 f1 Þ
where M0 and ðf1 Þ0 are the initial values of M and f1 .

Equation 10.15 allows the calculation of F1 as a function of f1 for a given set of
r1 and r2 values. These can then be employed as ðF1 f1 Þ to allow the graphical or
numerical integration of Eq. 10.21 between the limits of ðf1 Þ0 and f1 . In this
manner, one can obtain the variations in the feed and copolymer compositions with
the degree of conversion as shown in Eq. 10.22.

M f1 a f2 b ðf1 Þ0 d c
1 ¼1 ð10:22Þ
M0 ðf1 Þ0 ðf2 Þ0 f1 d
The zero subscripts indicate initial quantities and the other symbols are given
by
r2
a¼ ð10:23aÞ
ð1 r2 Þ
r1
b¼ ð10:23bÞ
ð 1 r1 Þ
ð1 r1 r2 Þ
c¼ ð10:23cÞ
ð1 r1 Þð1 r2 Þ
ð1 r2 Þ
d¼ ð10:23dÞ
ð2 r1 r2 Þ
Equation 10.22 or its equivalent has been used to correlate the drift in the feed
and copolymer compositions with conversion for a number of different copoly-
merization systems.
Fig. 10.4 Variations in feed 1.0

and copolymer compositions
with conversion for styrene f1
(M1), methyl methacrylate 0.8 F1
(M2) with (f1 )0 = 0.80,
Mole fraction
(f2 )0 = 0.20 and r1 = 0.53. Average M1 in copolymer
0.6
r2 = 0.56 [1]
0.4
Average M 2 in copolymer
0.2
F2
f2
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Degree of conversion, 1-M/M 0
Figure 10.4 shows the variations in feed and copolymer composition with
conversion for styrene and methyl methacrylate. The average composition of the
copolymer is slightly richer in methyl methacrylate than the feed, because methyl
methacrylate has a slightly larger monomer reactivity ratio than styrene. The feed
becomes richer in styrene with conversion which leads to an increase in the styrene
content of the copolymer with conversion. The average copolymer composition
becomes richer in styrene than methyl methacrylate, but less so than the instan-
taneous copolymer composition.
10.1.2 Effect of Reaction Conditions on Radical

Copolymerization
Monomer reactivity ratios are generally (but not always) independent of the
reaction medium in radical polymerization. For nonhomogeneous conditions,
sometime, the reaction medium affects the monomer reactivity ratio. For instance,
the emulsion polymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile, co-monomer feed
composition at the reaction site is different from that in the bulk of the reaction
system [1]. Deviations are also observed in some copolymerization where the
formed copolymer is poorly soluble in the reaction medium. For the copolymer-
ization of methyl methacrylate (M1) and N-vinyl carbazole (NVC) (M2),
r1 = 1.80, r2 = 0.06 in benzene but r1 = 0.5, r2 = 0.75 in methanol. The prop-
agating copolymer chains are completely soluble in benzene, but are marginal in
methanol. NVC is preferentially absorbed by the copolymer compared to methyl
methacrylate, so NVC enters the copolymer to a greater extent than expected based
on the feed composition. The viscosity of solution has effect on r value. Copo-
lymerization of styrene (M1) and methyl methacrylate (M2) in bulk leads to a
copolymer containing less styrene than that is carried out in benzene solution. The
gel effect in bulk polymerization decreases the mobility of styrene resulting in a
decrease in r1 and an increase in r2 [6].
Copolymerization involving the combination of polar M1 and nonpolar M2
monomers often shows different behavior depending on the polarity of the reaction
medium. The copolymer composition is richer in the less polar monomer for
reaction in a polar solvent compared to nonpolar solvent for the copolymerization
of styrene with acrylamide, acrylonitrile, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, respec-
tively. The result is due to the feed composition in the domain of the growing
polymer radical being richer in the less polar monomer. The polar solvent com-
plexes with the polar monomer thus reduces its reactivity [1].
The r1 and r2 are relatively insensitive to temperature, for example, the r1 and r2
values for styrene and 1,3-butadiene are 0.64 and 1.4 at 5°C, and 0.60 and 1.8 at
45°C, respectively. The r1 and r2 values for styrene and methyl methacrylate are
0.52 and 0.46 at 60°C, and 0.59 and 0.54 at 131°C [7]. The monomer reactivity ratio
is the ratio of two propagation rate constants, and its variation with temperature will
depend on the difference in propagation activation energies according to
r1 ¼ k11 =k12 ¼ A11 =A12 exp ½ðE12 E11 Þ=RT ð10:24Þ
where E11 and A11 are the propagation activation energy and frequency factor for
M1 radical adding M1 monomer, respectively, and E12 and A12 are the corre-
sponding values for M1 radical adding M2 monomer. The effect of temperature on
r is not large, since the activation energies for radical propagation are relatively
small and fall in a narrow range such that E12 E11 10 kJ/mol for most pairs of
monomers. An increase in temperature results in a less selective copolymerization
as the two monomer reactivity ratios of a co-monomer pair each tends toward
unity with decreasing preference of either radical for either monomer. Tempera-
ture has large effect on those systems, r deviates markedly from unity: especially
for ionic polymerization [1].
The pressure effect [1] on the monomer reactivity ratio can be expressed by
ð10:25Þ
where and are the propagation activation volumes for radical M1 adding
monomers M1 and M2, respectively. Although propagation rates increase consid-
erably with pressure, r is less sensitive to pressure, since ( ) is smaller
than either or . The effect of pressure tends to decrease the direction of
selectivity of ideal copolymerization. For example, the r1r2 product for the
copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile changes from 0.026 at 1 atm to 0.077
at 1000 atm, while r1r2 for the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and
acrylonitrile changes from 0.16 to 0.91. The ideal copolymerization remains so
regardless the change of pressure.
10.1.3 Reactivity and Composition of Free Radical

Copolymerization
Table 10.1 shows the monomer reactivity ratios of monomers in radical copoly-
merization [1]. With the same monomer, such as acrylic acid, its r1 can be varied
from 0.25 to 8.7 by changing reaction with styrene radical to vinyl acetate radical.
The data are useful for a study of the relation between structure and reactivity in
radical addition reactions. The reactivity of monomer toward a radical depends on
the reactivities of both of the monomers and radicals. The relative reactivities of
monomers and their corresponding radicals can be obtained from an analysis of the
monomer reactivity ratios. The reactivity of a monomer can be seen by considering
the inverse of the monomer reactivity ratio (1/r). The inverse of the monomer
reactivity ratio gives the ratio of the rate of reaction of a radical with another
monomer to its rate of reaction with its own monomer.
Table 10.2 shows 1/r values calculated from the data in Table 10.1. The data in
each vertical column show the monomer reactivities of a series of different
monomers toward the same reference polymer radical. Thus the first column shows
the reactivities of the monomers toward the butadiene radical, the second column
shows the reactivities of the monomers toward the styrene radical, and so on. It is
important to note that the data in Table 10.2 cannot compare the reactivity by
horizontal row.
Table 10.2 is organized according to the general decrease order of monomer
reactivity in each column. The order of monomer reactivities is approximately the
same in each vertical column irrespective of the reference radical. There are few
exceptions where the strong alternating tendency of certain co-monomer pairs is
present. The data [1] show the substitution effect on the reactivity of monomer
toward radical attack in a general order of
/; CH ¼ CH2 [ CN; COR [ COOH; COOR [ Cl [ OCOR; R [ OR; H
The order of monomer reactivities corresponds to the order of increased reso-

nance stabilization by the particular substituent of the radical formed from the
monomer. The order of radical reactivity can be obtained by multiplying the 1/r by
the appropriate propagation rate constants of homopolymerization (k11) that is
equal to k12, reaction rate of radical-monomer combination. The k12 values in any
vertical column in Table 10.3 give the order of monomer reactivities as shown in
Table 10.2.
Table 10.3 gives the order of radical reactivities toward a reference monomer in
the horizontal row. The order of substituent in enhancing radical reactivity is the
opposite of their order in enhancing monomer reactivity. A substituent on the
monomer can increase or decrease its reactivity depends on the ability of sub-
stituent to stabilize or destabilize the corresponding radical. For example, vinyl
acetate radical is about 100–1000 times more reactive than styrene radical toward
a given monomer, while styrene monomer is only 50–100 times more reactive than
Table 10.1 Monomer reactivity ratios in radical copolymerization [1]

M1 r1 M2 r2 T (°C)
Acrylic acid 0.24 n-Butyl methacrylate 3.5 50
0.25 Styrene 0.15 60
8.7 Vinyl acetate 0.21 70
Acrylonitrile 0.86 Acrylamide 0.81 40
0.046 1,3-Butadiene 0.36 40
0.69 Ethyl vinyl ether 0.060 80
0.98 Isobutylene 0.020 50
1.5 Methyl acrylate 0.84 50
0.14 Methyl methacrylate 1.3 70
0.020 Styrene 0.29 60
3.6 Vinyl chloride 0.044 50
0.92 Vinylidene chloride 0.32 60
0.020 2-Vinylpyridine 0.43 60
Allyl acetate 0 Methyl methacrylate 23 60
0 Styrene 90 60
1,3-Butadiene 0.75 Methyl methacrylate 0.25 90
1.4 Styrene 0.58 50
Diethyl fumarate 0 Acrylonitrile 8.0 60
0.070 Styrene 0.30 60
Diethyl maleate 0 Acrylonitrile 12 60
0 Methyl methacrylate 20 60
0.010 Styrene 6.1 70
Ethylene 0 Acrylonitrile 7.0 20
0.010 n-Butyl acrylate 14 150
0.38 Tetrafluoroethylene 0.10 25
Fumaronitrile 0.019 n-Dodecyl vinyl ether 0.004 60
0 Methyl methacrylate 6.7 79
0.006 Styrene 0.29 65
Maleic anhydride 0 Acrylonitrile 6.0 60
0.045 n-Butyl vinyl ether 0 50
0.012 Methyl acrylate 2.8 75
0.08 cis-Stilbene 0.07 60
0.03 trans-Stilbene 0.03 60
0.005 Styrene 0.050 50
0 Vinyl acetate 0.019 75
0 Vinyl chloride 0.098 75
(continued)
Table 10.1 (continued)

M1 r1 M2 r2 T (°C)
Methacrylic acid 2.4 Acrylonitrile 0.092 70
0.60 Styrene 0.12 60
Methacrylonitrile 0.46 Ethyl methacrylate 0.83 80
0.25 Styrene 0.25 80
12 Vinyl acetate 0.01 70
Methyl acrylate 0.84 Acrylonitrile 1.5 50
0.070 1,3-Butadiene 1.1 5
3.3 Ethyl vinyl ether 0 60
2.8 Maleic anhydride 0.012 75
0.80 Styrene 0.19 60
Methyl methacrylate 0.36 Acenaphthylene 1.1 60
0.46 Styrene 0.52 60
a-Methylstyrene 0.14 Acrylonitrile 0.030 75
0.040 Maleic anhydride 0.080 60
0.14 Styrene 1.2 60
Methyl vinyl ketone 0.35 Styrene 0.29 60
Styrene 90 Ethyl vinyl ether 0 80
42 Vinyl acetate 0 60
Vinyl acetate 3.4 Ethyl vinyl ether 0.26 60
vinyl acetate monomer toward a given radical as summarized in Table 10.4. Thus,
styrene has higher reactivity than vinyl acetate toward same radical. However, its
corresponding radical has lower reactivity toward same monomer.
The interaction of radical reactivity and monomer reactivity in determining the
rate of a radical-monomer reaction can be illustrated by potential energy changes
accompanying the radical-monomer reaction as a function of the separation
between the atoms forming the new bond as shown in Fig. 10.5.
246
Table 10.2 Relative reactivities (1/r) of monomers with various polymer radicalsa[1]
Monomer Polymer radical
Butadiene Styrene Vinyl acetate Vinyl chloride Methyl methacrylate Methyl acrylate Acrylonitrile
Butadiene – 1.7 – 29 4 20 50
Styrene 0.7 – 100 50 2.2 5 25
Methyl methacrylate 1.3 1.9 67 10 – 2 6.7
Methyl vinyl ketone – 3.4 20 10 – – 1.7
Acrylonitrile 3.3 2.5 20 25 0.82 1.2 –
Methyl acrylate 1.3 1.3 10 17 0.52 – 0.67
Vinylidene chloride – 0.54 10 – 0.39 – 1.1
Vinyl chloride 0.11 0.059 4.4 – 0.1 0.25 0.37
Vinyl acetate – 0.019 – 0.59 0.05 0.11 0.24
a
1/r values calculated from data of Table 10.1
10
Chain Copolymerization
10.1
Table 10.3 Rate constants (k12) for radical-monomer reactions [1, 2]

Monomer (M2) Polymer radical
Butadiene Styrene Methyl methacrylate Acrylonitrile Methyl acrylate Vinyl acetate Vinyl chloride
Butadiene 100 280 2,060 98,000 41,800 – 319,000
Styrene 70 165 1,130 49,000 10,045 230,000 550,000
Methyl methacrylate 130 314 515 13,100 4,180 154,000 110,000
Acrylonitrile 330 413 422 1,960 2,510 46,000 225,000
Methyl acrylate 130 215 268 1,310 2,090 23,000 187,000
Vinyl chloride 11 9.7 52 720 520 10,100 11,000
Reaction Kinetics of Free Radical Copolymerization
Vinyl acetate – 3.4 26 230 230 2,300 6,490

a
k12 values calculated from data in Table 10.2
247
Table 10.4 The reactivity comparison between monomer and its corresponding radical
Reactant Reactivity Toward
Vinyl acetate radical 100–1,000 x Same monomer
Styrene radical 1 Same monomer
Styrene monomer 50–100 x Same radical
Vinyl acetate monomer 1 Same radical
Fig. 10.5 Reaction

coordination diagram for the M Radical + monomer
MS
reaction of a polymer radical (before bond formation)
M
with a monomer. The MS R
dependence of the potential
New radical
energy of the system
RS
(radical ? monomer) on the Potential energy
separation between the
radical and the unsaturated R+M
carbon atom of the monomer
is shown. The subscript R+M S
s indicates the presence of a R S +M
substituent that is capable of
RS+MS
resonance stabilization.
Activation energies are
represented by the solid-line
arrows; heats of reaction by
the broken-line arrows [1]
Increasing separation of radical
and unsaturated carbon atom
These energy changes are shown for four possible reactions between resonance-
stabilized and nonstabilized monomer and radicals are
R þ M ! R ð10:26aÞ
R þ Ms ! Rs ð10:26bÞ
Rs þ Ms ! Rs ð10:26cÞ
Rs þ M ! R ð10:26dÞ
where the presence or absence of the subscript s indicates the presence or absence,
respectively, of a substituent that is capable of resonance stabilization. Vinyl
acetate and styrene monomers are examples of M and Ms , respectively; vinyl
acetate and styrene radicals are examples of R and Rs , respectively. There are two
sets of potential energy curves in Fig. 10.5. One set of four repulsion curves
represents the energetic approach of a radical to a monomer; the other set of two
Morse curves represents the stability of the bond finally formed. The intersections
of the curves represent the transition states for the monomer-radical reactions. The
Table 10.5 Rate constants (k12) for radical-monomer reactions involving chlorine substituted
ethylenes [1]
Monomer Polymer radical
Vinyl acetate Styrene Acrylonitrile
Vinyl chloride 10,000 9.7 725
Vinylidene chloride 23,000 89 2,150
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene 365 0.79 –
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene 2,320 4.5 –
Trichloroethylene 3,480 10.3 29
Tetrachloroethylene 338 0.83 4.2
order of reaction rate constants for the various monomer-radical reaction is the
following which is the opposite order of activation energy of reaction.
Rs þ M\Rs þ Ms \R þ M\R þ Ms
This order of reactivity is consistent with the data in Tables 10.2 and 10.3 as
well as many homopolymerization data. The monomers without stabilizing sub-
stituents (e.g., vinyl chloride or vinyl acetate) will self-propagate faster than those
with stabilizing substituents. Copolymerization will occur primarily between two
monomers with stabilizing substituents or between two monomers without stabi-
lizing substituents.
The rates of radical-monomer reactions are also affected by the presence of steric
hindrance [1]. Table 10.5 shows the k12 values for the reactions of various chlorine
substituted ethylenes with vinyl acetate, styrene, and acrylonitrile radicals. The k12
of vinylidene chloride is two times higher as compared with vinyl chloride toward
vinyl acetate polymer radical which is due to more resonance structure available
from vinylidene chloride. The k12 of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene is six times higher
as compared with cis-1,2-dichloroethylene toward vinyl acetate polymer radical
which is due to the less steric hindrance from the trans-1,2-dichloroethylene
reacting with vinyl acetate polymer radical. The k12 of trichloroethylene is higher
than trans-1,2-dichloroethylene toward vinyl acetate polymer radical, because the
trichloroethylene can provide more resonance structure after the reaction. The trend
is similar for the polymer radical of styrene and acrylonitrile.
Table 10.6 lists the monomers in order of their r1 r2 value with other mono-
mers. The further apart two monomers are, the greater is their tendency toward
alternation. Thus, acrylonitrile undergoes ideal copolymerization with methyl
vinyl ketone (r1r2 = 1.1) and alternating copolymerization with butadiene
(r1r2 = 0.006).
The order of monomers in Table 10.6 is based on polarity of the double bond.
Monomers with electron-donating substituents are located at the top (left) of the
table and those with electron-withdrawing substituents at the bottom (right). The
r1r2 value decreases progressively as one considers two monomers further apart in
the table. Monomers on the left are less polar monomers, on the right are more
polar. The tendency toward alternation increases as the difference in polarity
Table 10.6 Values of r1r2 in radical copolymerization [1]

n-Butyl vinyl
ether (-1.50)
Butadiene(-0.50)
0.78 Styrene(-0.80)
Vinyl
0.55 acetate(-0.88)
Vinyl
0.31 0.34 0.39 chloride(0.16)
Methyl
0.19 0.24 0.30 1.0 methacrylate(0.40)
Vinylidene
<0.1 0.16 0.6 0.96 0.61 chloride(0.34)
Methylvinyl
0.10 0.35 0.83 0.99 ketone(1.06)
0.0004 0.006 0.016 0.21 0.11 0.18 0.34 1.1 Acrylonitrile(1.23)
Diethyl
~0 0.021 0.0049 0.056 0.56 fumarate(2.26)
Maleic
~0.002 0.006 0.00017 0.0024 0.13 anhydride
(3.69)
between the two monomers increases. Maleic anhydride, diethyl fumarate (Et–
OOC–C=C–COOEt), and fumaronitrile (HOOC–C=C–C:CN) do not homopo-
lymerize. However, they will form alternating copolymer with electron-donor
monomers such as styrene, vinyl ethers, and NVC. The copolymerization (Eq.
10.27) takes place even though neither monomer undergoes appreciable homo-
polymerization.
HC CH2 + HC CH CH CH2 CH CH
OC CO OC CO ð10:27Þ
O O
n
Two mechanisms [1] have been proposed to explain the strong alternation
tendency between electron-donor and electron-acceptor monomers. One mecha-
nism considers the interaction between an electron-acceptor radical and an elec-
tron-donor monomer or an electron-donor radical and an electron-acceptor
monomer leads to a decrease in the activation energy for cross-propagation. The
transition state is stabilized by partial electron transfer between the electron-donor
and electron-acceptor species such as the reactions between styrene monomer and
maleic anhydride radical as below
CH CH H 2C CH CH CH H2C CH
+ +
OC CO OC C ð10:28Þ
O O O-
or the reactions between styrene radical and maleic anhydride monomer.

CH2 CH + HC CH CH2 CH CH CH
+
OC CO C CO
-
O O O
ð10:29Þ
The second mechanism suggests the formation of a 1:1 complex between donor
and acceptor monomers first, then the complex undergoes homopolymerization to
obtain alternating copolymer.
K
M1 þ M2
M1 M2 ðcomplexÞ ð10:30Þ
k
M1 M2 þ M1 M2 ! M1 M2 M1 M2 ð10:31Þ
The reactions have been studied by the UV and NMR. The results indicate the
formation of charge transfer complexes between electron-donor and electron-
acceptor monomers which supports the second mechanism.
Various attempts have been made to place the radical–monomer reaction on the
quantitative aspects of the correlation between structure and reactivity. Alfry and
Price proposed Q-e Scheme [8] that is a useful correlation. The rate constant for a
radical-monomer reaction M1 and M2 can be expressed by
k12 ¼ P1 Q2 expðe1 e2 Þ ð10:32Þ
where P1 and Q2 are measures of the resonance stabilization of M1 radical and M2
monomer, respectively, and e1 and e2 are measures of their polarities. By assuming
that the same e value applies to both a monomer and its corresponding radical, one
can write expression of k11, k22, k21 similar to Eq. 10.32. These can be appropri-
ately combined to yield the monomer reactivity ratios in the forms as below
r1 ¼ Q1 =Q2 exp½e1 ðe1 e2 Þ ð10:33Þ
r2 ¼ Q2 =Q1 exp½e2 ðe2 e1 Þ ð10:34Þ

which correlate monomer–radical reactivity with the parameters Q1, Q2, e1, and e2.
The reactivity of monomers is described by a resonance factor ‘‘Q’’ and polar factor
‘‘e’’. Table 10.7 lists the Q, e values of some monomers. Therefore, we can use the
Q-e Scheme to predict monomer reactivity ratios. Values of Q and e have been
assigned to monomers based on their r values. For styrene, Q = 1, e = -0.80 are
assigned. The accurately quantitative prediction of monomer reactivity ratio using
Q-e scheme is limited to the copolymerization that has been experimentally carried
out before. Therefore, it is a semi-experimental prediction. The precision of the
predicted value, sometime is questionable, if the experimental data of known
reactivity ratio are not accurate. The Q, e values do not consider the steric effect.
Table 10.7 Q and e values for various monomers [1]

Monomer Q e
Acenaphthalene 0.720 -1.88
Ethyl vinyl ether 0.018 -1.80
Propene 0.009 -1.69
N-Vinylpyrrolidone 0.088 -1.62
n-Butyl vinyl ether 0.038 -1.50
i-Butyl vinyl ether 0.030 -1.27
p-Methoxystyrene 1.53 -1.40
Isobutylene 0.023 -1.20
Allyl acetate 0.24 -1.07
Vinyl acetate 0.026 -0.88
a-Methylstyrene 0.97 -0.81
Styrene 1.00 -0.80
Indene 0.13 -0.71
p-Bromostyrene 1.30 -0.68
Allyl chloride 0.026 -0.60
Isoprene 1.00 -0.55
1,3-Butadiene 1.70 -0.50
2-Vinylpyridine 1.41 -0.42
Ethylene 0.016 0.05
Vinyl chloride 0.056 0.16
m-Nitrostyrene 2.19 0.20
Vinylidene chloride 0.31 0.34
Methyl methacrylate 0.78 0.40
Acrylamide 0.23 0.54
Methacrylic acid 0.98 0.62
Methyl acrylate 0.45 0.64
Methacrylonitrile 0.86 0.68
Vinyl fluoride 0.008 0.72
4-Vinylpyridine 2.47 0.84
n-Butyl acrylate 0.38 0.85
Acrylic acid 0.83 0.88
1-Hexene 0.035 0.92
Methyl vinyl ketone 0.66 1.06
Diethyl maleate 0.053 1.08
Acrylonitrile 0.48 1.23
Tetrafluoroethylene 0.032 1.63
o-Chlorostyrene 2.66 1.57
Diethyl fumarate 0.25 2.26
Fumaronitrile 0.29 2.73
Maleic anhydride 0.86 3.69
The assumption of same e value for monomer and radical is inadequate. However,
the Q-e Scheme still useful prediction tool for the structure-reactivity relationship.
It can be used to give a general idea of the behavior to be expected from a
co-monomer pair that has not been studied.
10.1.4 Rate of Polymerization of Free Radical

Copolymerization
The rate of copolymerization depends on the rate of initiation, termination, and

propagation. Two different approaches have been used to derive expressions for
the rate of copolymerization basis on how the termination reactions are proceeded:
(1) by chemical control [4] or (2) by diffusion control [9]. For the first approach,
the copolymerization consists of four propagation reactions and three termination
reactions
Propagation
k11
M1 þ M1 ! M1 ð10:35Þ
k12
M1 þ M2 ! M2 ð10:36Þ
k22
M2 þ M2 ! M2 ð10:37Þ
k21
M2 þ M1 ! M1 ð10:38Þ
Termination
kt11
M1 þ M1 ! dead polymer ð10:39Þ
kt22
kt12
The overall rate of copolymerization from the rate of propagation is
Rp ¼ ðd½M1 þ d½M2 Þ=dt

ð10:42Þ
¼ k11 ½M1 ½M1 þ k12 ½M1 ½M2 þ k22 ½M2 ½M2 þ k21 ½M2 ½M1
To eliminate [M] in Eq. 10.42, a steady-state concentration is assumed for each
type of radical,
k21 ½M2 ½M1 ¼ k12 ½M1 ½M2 ð10:43Þ
The overall rate of copolymerization from the rate of termination is
Rt ¼ 2kt11 ½M1 2 þ 2kt12 ½M1 ½M2 þ 2kt22 ½M2 2 ð10:44Þ
By combining Eq. 10.42 with Eqs. 10.43 and 10.44, then using r1, r2 defini-
tions, one can obtain the rate of copolymerization as

1=2
Rp ¼ r1 ½M1 2 þ2½M1 ½M2 þ r2 ½M2 2 Rt =
n o1=2 ð10:45Þ
r12 d21 ½M1 2 þ ð2/r1 r2 d1 d2 ½M1 ½M2 Þ þ r22 d22 ½M2 2
where
2 1=2
d1 ¼ ð2kt11 =k11 Þ ð10:46aÞ
2 1=2
d2 ¼ ð2kt22 =k22 Þ ð10:46bÞ
/ ¼ kt12 =2ðkt11 k22 Þ1=2 ð10:46cÞ

The d1 and d2 values are obtained from homopolymerization and the r1 and r2
from copolymerization data. The rate of copolymerization is experimentally
determined, then the / is calculated from Eq. 10.45. Table 10.8 shows the values
of / and r1r2 of several monomer pairs. There is a general trend of / values
greater than unity that indicates the cross-termination is favored. When the /
increases with r1r2 approaching zero, the tendency toward cross-termination is in
parallel with the tendency toward cross-propagation. This leads to the conclusion
that polar effects are responsible for the tendency toward cross-termination. The
reaction between radicals of dissimilar polarity is enhanced because of stabiliza-
tion of the transition state for termination by electron-transfer effects.
Alternating copolymerization proceeds with enhanced propagation (r1 and
r2 \ 1) and enhanced termination (/ [ 1). The rate composition plot will depend
on the values of /, r1 and r2. Figure 10.6 shows two plots of Rp versus feed for the
copolymerization of styrene and methacrylonitrile using / values of 1 and 6 for
calculation. The experimental data follow the plot for / ¼ 6 quite well. The
copolymerization of styrene (r1 = 42) and vinyl acetate (r2 = 0) presents a typical
example of this case. The value of r2 is very small and Eq. 10.45 can be reduced to
.
1=2
Rp ¼ ð½M1 þ 2½M2 =r1 ÞRt d1 ð10:47Þ
Table 10.8 Values of / and r1r2 in radical copolymerization of several monomer pairs [1]
Comonomer / r1r2
Styrene-butyl acrylate 150 0.07
Styrene-methyl acrylate 50 0.14
Methyl methacrylate-p-methoxystyrene 24 0.09
Styrene-methyl methacrylate 13 0.24
Styrene-methacrylonitrile 6 0.16c
Styrene-methoxystyrene 1 0.95
Fig. 10.6 Dependence of the 20

rate of radical
copolymerization of styrene-
methacrylonitrile at 60 °C on
the co-monomer feed 16
R P x 10 6
composition. The two plots
Ø=6
are the theoretical plots
calculated for / values of 1
and 6; the circles represent 12
the experimental data [1] Ø=1
0 0.5 1
f2
The addition of very small amount of styrene to vinyl acetate, styrene inhibits
the polymerization of vinyl acetate. Vinyl acetate radicals are rapidly converted to
styrene radicals. The styrene radicals react very slowly with vinyl acetate mono-
mer. The net effect is an almost complete cessation of polymerization. Rp is very
small according to Eq. 10.47.
For the second approach, diffusion controlled termination, the following reac-
tions are considered to obtain the kinetic expression for the rate of
copolymerization
M1 þ M1
ktð12Þ
M 1 þ M 2 ! dead polymer ð10:48Þ
M2 þ M2
where the termination rate constant kt(12) is a function of the copolymer compo-
sition. The condition for the steady state for the total concentration of radicals can
be expressed by Eq. 10.49 instead of Eq. 10.44.
Rt ¼ 2ktð12Þ ð½M1 þ ½M2 Þ2 ð10:49Þ
By combining Eqs. 10.42, 10.43, and 10.49 with the definitions of r1 and r2, one
obtains the rate of copolymerization as

1=2
r1 ½M1 2 þ 2½M1 ½M2 þ r2 ½M2 2 Rt
Rp ¼
ð10:50Þ
1=2 r1 ½M1 r2 ½M2
ktð12Þ þ
k11 k22
In the ideal situation, one would expect the termination rate constant kt(12) to be
a function of the termination rate constants for the corresponding two homopo-
lymerizations as the following:
Fig. 10.7 Dependence of the

termination rate constant
k t (12) X 10 -7, moles/liter-sec

kt(12) on the mole fraction of 15.0
vinyl acetate in the radical
copolymerization of vinyl
acetate-methyl methacrylate. 10.0
The solid-line plot and open
circles represent calculations
by Eq. 10.51; the broken-line
plot and solid circles 5.0
represent calculations by
Eq. 10.50 [1]
0
0 0.5 1.0
Mole fraction vinyl acetate
ktð12Þ ¼ F1 kt11 þ F2 kt22 ð10:51Þ
where kt(12) is the average of kt11 and kt22 each weighted on the basis of the
copolymer composition in mole fractions. Equations 10.50 and 10.51 have been
validated by experimental data as shown in Fig. 10.7. The lines are calculated data
and circles are experimental data. They are fitted quite well except the slight
deviation obtained from Eq. 10.51 calculation. The result indicates the weighting
the kt11 and kt22 values directly with the copolymer composition may not be
correct.
10.2 Cationic Copolymerization
The reactivity of monomer in cationic copolymerization [1] will be increased by

(1) increasing the electron density on the double bond and (2) resonance stabil-
ization on the carbocation from the substituent on the monomer. However, it will
be affected by the reaction conditions, e.g., solvent, counterion, temperature, and
so forth. The relative reactivities of various substituted styrenes have been cor-
related by the Hammett sigma-rho (qr) relationship
logð1=r1 Þ ¼ qr ð10:52Þ
For example, log (1/r1) values for a series of meta- and para-substituted sty-
renes copolymerized with styrene were plotted against the sigma substituent
constants to yield a straight line with slope q of negative sign. The sigma value of
a substituent is a quantitative measure of the total electron-donating or electron-
withdrawing effect of substituent. Electron-withdrawing and electron-donating
substituents have positive and negative sigma constants, respectively. A negative
value of q means 1/r1 is increased by electron-donating substituents as expected
for cationic polymerization. Substituents increase the reactivity of styrene in the
following order of
10.2 Cationic Copolymerization 257
Table 10.9 Steric effects in copolymerization of a- and b-methylstyrenes (M1) with p-chloro-
styrene (M2) [1]
M1 r1 r2
Styrene 2.31 0.21
a-Methylstyrene 9.44 0.11
trans-b-Methylstyrene 0.32 0.74
cis-b-Methylstyrene 0.32 1.0
p-OCH3 ð0:27Þ [ p-CH3 ð0:17Þ [ p-Hð0:00Þ [ p-Clð0:23Þ

[ m-Clð0:37Þ [ m-NO2 ð0:71Þ
The Hammett-type approach is very useful for the quantitative correlation of

monomer reactivity with structure semi-experimentally, but it is applicable only to
substituted styrenes. The generally observed order of monomer reactivity is
vinyl ether [ isobutylene [ styrene; isoprene
which is the order expected on the basis of the electron-donating ability of various
substituents. Monomers with electron-withdrawing substituent such as acryloni-
trile, methyl methacrylate, and vinyl chloride show negligible reactivity in cationic
copolymerization. Steric effect is also important in cationic copolymerization.
Table 10.9 shows the effect of methyl substituents in the a- and b-positions of
styrene. The reactivity of a-methylstyrene is higher than that of styrene due to the
presence of electron-donating group of methyl group at a-position to have stabi-
lized cationic propagating chain. On the other hand, the reactivity of b-methyl-
styrene is lower than that of styrene due to the presence of methyl group at
b-position to have steric hindrance effect to retard the copolymerization with
p-chlorostyrene. The steric effect is to outweigh the electronic effect of methyl
group on the double bond. The trans-b-methylene is higher reactivity than cis-b-
methylene as expected from the retardation of the later, although the amount is not
large. It is interested to note that the 1,2-disubstituted alkene have some finite
reactivity ratio which is zero in free radical copolymerization. Furthermore, the
1,2-disubstituted alkene can self propagate in cationic copolymerization but it is
negligible in free radical reaction.
The effect of solvent or counterion on the monomer reactivity ratios is expected
as we have observed in the cationic homopolymerization [1]. Actually, the effects
are more complicated and difficult to predict than the homopolymerization, since
changes in solvent or counterion often result in alternations in relative amounts of
different types of propagating center, each of which may be differently affected by
solvent. Table 10.10 illustrates these kind of effects for the copolymerization of
isobutylene and p-chlorostyrene. The AlBr3 initiated copolymerization shows
r1 = 1.01, r2 = 1.02 in hexane but r1 = 14.7, r2 = 0.15 in nitrobenzene. Because
the polar characteristic of p-chlorostyrene, the calculation of r values using the
bulk comonomer feed composition results in a lower value of r1 together with a
Table 10.10 Effect of solvent and initiator on r values in cationic polymerization [1]
r1 = k11/k12 isobutylene r2 = k22/k21 p-chlorostyrene Solvent Initiator
1.01 1.02 n-C6H14(e1.8) AlBr3
14.7 0.15 C6H5–NO2(e36) AlBr3
8.6 1.2 C6H5–NO2 (e 36) SnCl4
Table 10.11 Effects of solvent and counterion on copolymer composition in the copolymeri-
zation of styrene and p-methylstyrene[1]
Initiator system % Styrene in copolymera
Toluene (e 2.4) 1,2-Dichloroethane (e 9.7) Nitrobenzene (e 36)
SbCl5 46 25 28
AlX3 34 34 28
TiCl4, SnCl4, BF3OEt2, SbCl3 28 27 27
Cl3CCO2H – 27 30
I2 – 17 –
a
Co-monomer feed = 1:1 styrene and p-methylstyrene
higher value of r2. By changing the polarity of solvent, the r value is varied. In the
nonpolar solvent, hexane, the polar monomer p-chlorostyrene solvates the prop-
agating center, so the r2 is increased. However, in the polar solvent, nitrobenzene,
the propagating center is solvated by solvent which makes the reaction of polar
monomer decreased with a reduced r2. The solvent effect cannot be considered
independent of counterion effect. The AlBr3 is a stronger initiator than SnCl4 that
produces a higher concentration of propagating center. Thus, a stronger solvent
effect is observed for polar p-chlorostyrene with an order decrease in r2 (1.2 vs.
0.15) using AlBr3 initiator.
Table 10.11 illustrates another example of the effects of solvent and counterion
on the copolymerization of styrene with p-methylstyrene. The data indicate the
copolymer composition to be (1) insensitive to the type of initiator for high
polarity solvent such as nitrobenzene or 1,2-dichloroethane and (2) insensitive to
solvent polarity for any initiator except the strongest SbCl5. The styrene content
decreases with decreasing initiator strength for the low-polarity solvent of toluene.
In the poor solvent, the monomers compete, against the solvent, with each other to
solvate the propagating center. The more polar p-methylstyrene preferentially
solvates the propagating chains, so it is preferentially incorporated into the
copolymer. For the polar solvent, the counterion does not appreciably influence
the reaction, because the monomer cannot compete with the solvent to solvate the
propagating chain. For the strong initiator of SbCl5, the concentration of propa-
gating center is high, the less polar monomer of styrene can be incorporated more
into copolymer when the reaction is in the less polar solvent of toluene.
10.2 Cationic Copolymerization 259
Temperature has a greater influence on monomer reactivity ratios in cationic

copolymerization than in radical copolymerization because of the greater spread of
propagation activation energies for the ionic process [10]. The ratio of any two rate
constants is expected to toward unity when temperature increases. Since the
smaller rate constant (larger activation energy) will increase faster with increasing
temperature than the larger rate constant (smaller activation energy).
10.3 Anionic Copolymerization
The reactivity of anionic copolymerization is enhanced by electron-withdrawing

substituent that decreases the electron density on the double bond and resonance
stabilizes the formation of carboanion [1]. The reactivity is generally increased by
the increasing of electron-withdrawing power of the substitute as the following:
CN [ CO2 R [ /; CH¼CH2 [ H
There is a tendency toward ideal behavior in most anionic copolymerizations.
Steric effects give rise to an alternating tendency for certain co-monomer pairs.
Thus the styrene-p-methylstyrene pair shows ideal behavior with r1 = 5.3,
r2 = 0.18, r1r2 = 0.95, while the styrene-a-methylstyrene pair shows a tendency
toward alternation with r1 = 35, r2 = 0.003, r1r2 = 0.11, respectively. The steric
effect of the additional methyl substituent in the a-position hinders the addition of
a-methylstyrene to a-methylstyrene anion and results in lower reactivity ratio.
Monomer reactivity ratios and copolymer compositions of anionic copoly-
merizations are also altered by changes in the solvent or counterion. Table 10.12
shows data for styrene-isoprene copolymerization at 25°C by n-butyl lithium. As
in the case of cationic copolymerization, the effects of solvent and counterion
cannot be considered independently of each other. For the tightly bound lithium
counterion, there are large effects due to the solvent. In a poor solvent such as
benzene, the copolymer is rich in the less reactive isoprene (contains 15 % sty-
rene), because isoprene is preferentially complexed by lithium ion. In a good
Table 10.12 Effect of solvent and counterion on copolymer composition in styrene-isoprene

copolymerization [1]
Solvent % Styrene in copolymer for counterion
Na+ Li+
None 66 15
Benzene 66 15
Triethylamine 77 59
Ethyl ether 75 68
Tetrahydrofuran 80 80
solvent triethylamine, preferential solvation by monomer is much less important

and the inherent greater reactivity of styrene presents high concentration of 59 %
in the copolymer.
10.4 Copolymerization Involving Dienes
Diene monomers contain two double bonds that are used in the copolymerization
to have crosslinkable functionality, so a cross-linked polymers can be obtained.
The reaction is similar to the step polymerization where tri or tetra functional
reactants are used. The cross-linking reaction occurs early or late in the copoly-
merization depends on the relative reactivities of the two double bonds of the
diene. The extent of cross-linking depends on (1) the reactivity of the two double
bonds of the diene and (2) the amount of diene relative to the other monomer.
Therefore, there are usually three types of copolymerization between monomer
and diene that are discussed in the following.
The first type is the copolymerization of monomer A with diene BB where all of
the double bonds have the same reactivity [1]. Methyl methacrylate-ethylene
glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM), vinyl acetate-divinyl adipate (DVA), and styrene-
p- or m-divinylbenzene (DVB) are examples of this type of copolymerization
system. Since r1 = r2, F1 = f1. At the extent of reaction p, there are p[A] reacted A
double bonds, p[B] reacted B double bonds, and p2[BB] reacted BB monomer
units. [A] and [B] are the concentrations of A and B double bonds, [BB] is the
concentration of BB, and [B] = 2[BB]. The number of cross-links is simply the
number of BB monomer molecules in which both B double bonds are reacted that
is, p2[BB]. The number of polymer chains is the total number of A and B double
bonds reacted divided by the weight average degree of polymerization,
ð½ A þ ½BÞp X w . The critical extent of reaction at the gel point pc occurs when the
number of cross-links per chain is 1/2 and thus is given by
½A þ ½B
pc ¼ ð10:53Þ
½BX w
Table 10.13 Cross-linking Mole fraction DVB Gel point (pc)

in the copolymerization of
styrene-divinylbenzene [1] Calculated from
Eq. 10.53 Observed
0.004 0.210 0.160
0.008 0.100 0.140
0.020 0.042 0.076
0.032 0.026 0.074
0.082 0.010 0.052
0.300 0.004 0.045
10.4 Copolymerization Involving Dienes 261
The equation holds best for systems containing low concentrations of the diene
monomer. With increasing diene concentration, the equation predicts gel points at
conversions that are increasingly lower than those found experimentally as shown
in Table 10.13. This general behavior has been attributed to the wastage of the
diene monomer due to (1) intramolecular cyclization, and (2) the reactivity of the
second double bond in BB is decreased on reaction of the first double bond as a
consequence of its presence in a polymer chain [1].
A second case is the copolymerization of A and BB with reactivities r1 and r2,
respectively [1]. In the case, the critical extent of reaction at gelation is given by
2
r1 ½ A2 þ2½A½B þ r2 ½B2
pc ¼ ð10:54Þ
X w ½Bð½ A þ ½BÞðr2 ½B þ ½ AÞ2
If [A] [B], then
½ Ar12
pc ¼ ð10:55Þ
½BX w
When the double bonds of the diene are more reactive than that of the other
monomer (r2 [ r1), cross-linking occurs in the early stages of the copolymeriza-
tion. Cross-linking is delayed until the later stages if r1 [ r2.
The third case is the copolymerization of a monomer A with the diene BC
where groups A and B have equal reactivity, but group C has a much lower
reactivity [1]. The copolymerization of methyl methacrylate(A)-allyl(C)-methac-
rylate(B) is an example. If r is the reactivity ratio of C and B groups, then the rate
constant for A and B will have the following relationship:
r ¼ kAC =kAA ¼ kAC =kAB ¼ kBC =kBA ¼ kBC =kBB ð10:56Þ
The copolymer will consist of copolymerized A and B groups with pending
C groups that will react later into cross-linking. The critical extent of reaction at
gelation is given by
1
pc ¼ 1 exp ð10:57Þ
2qX w r
where q is the mole fraction of the diene in the initial co-monomer feed.
From the discussion above, one can control the gelation of diene copolymerization
and the extent of cross-linking by reducing the amount of diene, the degree of poly-
merization by using chain transfer agents, proper choice of the reactivity of diene.
CH C
HC HC
+ 2 Bu-Li+
H
C C
C C
H H
C CH
HC H2 C CH C
HC CH2
+ H
C
H2C
C
C C
H C
A H
CH3
A AAA Z AAA A + H2C CH BBB AAA Z AAA BBB
C
O CH3
10.5 Block Copolymers
Block copolymers offer the potential to have product having desired and balanced
properties of two or more homopolymers. The block copolymer can be synthesized
via sequential monomer addition and then terminates with water using anionic
polymerization as following
RLi B H2 O
A R AAA R AAA BBB R AAA BBBH
ð10:58Þ
However, the additional sequency of monomer is very important to determine the

success of this kind copolymerization. For example, polystyryl carbanion will initiate
polymerization of methyl methacrylate, but the reverse does not occur due to the
reactivity difference in carbanion. Sequencing is not a problem in synthesizing block
copolymers of styrene with isoprene or 1,3-butadiene due to similar reactivity of the
monomer. The length of each segment in the block copolymer is determined by the
10.5 Block Copolymers 263
amount of each monomer added relative to the amount of initiator. The overall
properties of the product are various with the block lengths of the different monomers.
Difunctional initiators such as sodium naphthalene can be used to synthesize
ABA, BABAB, CABAC, and other symmetrical block copolymers. Difunctional
initiators can also be prepared by reacting a diene with two equivalents of s- or t-
butyl lithium.
Z + A AAA Z AAA + B BBB AAA Z AAA BBB

bifunctional
initiator
ð10:59Þ
Triblock copolymer is able to be prepared using a difunctional initiator to initiate

the first monomers and result in a homopolymer with two head carbanions. Fol-
lowing by introducing the second monomers and then the ABA triblock copolymer
such as methyl methacrylate–styrene-methyl methacrylate is formed as following:
Triblock copolymers such as styrene-isoprene-styrene and styrene-1,3-butadi-
ene-styrene are useful thermoplastic elastomers. They behave as elastomers at
ambient temp. However, they are thermoplastic at elevated temperature. Styrene is
a hard segment, and butadiene is soft. Diblock copolymers do not show good
elastomer behavior but the triblock copolymer with the hard blocks at both ends of
the polymer chain bearing rubbery behavior. Higher level block structures do not
offer any performance advantage over triblock copolymer.
10.6 Commercial Copolymers
Many commercial copolymers are synthesized basis on polystyrene. Polystyrene

itself is brittle and low impact resistance, but it can be copolymerized with rubber-
based polymer to have both properties of strength and impact resistance [1].
Examples of styrene copolymers are styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) for tire which
contains 25 % styrene, 75 % 1,3-butadiene; Latex paint which has 50–70 % sty-
rene, 30–50 % 1,3-butadiene. Carboxylated SBR is a backing material for the
usage of carpets and styrene/divinyl benzene is used for size-exclusion chroma-
tography. The copolymer containing 50–90 % styrene, 10.40 % acrylonitrile
(SAN) is widely used in houseware and packaging. The ABS consists of a glassy
polymer (SAN) dispersed in a rubbery matrix (grafted rubber) for houseware,
housing. The HIPS (high impact polystyrene) is produced by polymerization of
styrene in the presence of a rubber of poly-1,4-butadiene.
Other important commercial copolymers are based on polyethylene. Ethylene
polymer has the properties of crystallinity, high glass transition temperature, high
Tm, high chemical resistance and vinyl acetate polymer has the properties of
optical clarity, impact and stress crack resistance, flexibility, and adhesion. By
copolymerization of ethylene with vinyl acetate (2–18 %), the merits of both
polymers can be achieved. They are called EVA and widely used in food pack-
aging, stretch and shrink film, drum liner, and so on. The copolymers of ethylene/
methyl methacrylate (15–30 %) or ethyl, butyl, methyl acrylates exhibit improved
thermal stability, low temperature flexibility. Ethylene-acrylate-alkenoic acid
(small amount crosslinker) elastomer has excellent oil resistance and stability over
a wide temperature range (-50 to 200°C). The copolymer of ethylene-acrylic acid
(15–20 %) has improved adhesion, abrasion resistance, toughness, and low tem-
perature flexibility.
10.7 Problems
1. Define the reactivity ratios r1 and r2 and indicate their values for (a) ideal, (b)
alternating, (c) azeotropic, and (d) block copolymerization.
2. Derive the copolymer equations, stating the assumptions used.
3. Consider the following monomer reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of
various pairs of monomers:
Case r1 r2
1 0.1 0.2
2 0.1 10
3 0.1 3
4 0 0.3
5 0 0
6 0.8 2
7 1 15
What is the composition of the copolymer that would be formed at low

conversion from equimolar mixtures of the two monomers in each case? What
kind of copolymer will be formed for each case?
4. Using the r1 and r2 values from Table 10.1, construct plots showing the initial
copolymer composition as a function of the co-monomer feed composition for
the radical copolymerizations of methyl acrylate-methyl methacrylate and
styrene-maleic anhydride. Are these examples of ideal or alternating
copolymerization?
5. Consider the radical copolymerization of a benzene solution that is 1.5 M in
styrene and 3.0 M in methyl acrylate.
a. What is the initial copolymer composition if the polymerization is carried
out at 60 °C using benzoyl peroxide at a concentration of 5.0 9 104 M?
How is the copolymer composition affected if 3.0 9 103 M benzoyl
peroxide is used?
b. How will the presence of 5.0 9 105 M n-butyl mercaptan affect the initial
copolymer composition?
10.7 Problems 265
6. Using the Q and e values in Table 10.7, calculate the monomer reactivity
ratios for the co-monomer pairs styrene-butadiene and styrene-methyl meth-
acrylate. Compare the results with the r1 and r2 values in Table 10.1.
7. Discuss qualitatively the course of the radical copolymerization for each of the
following co-monomer pairs in terms of the degree of reaction at which
gelation would be expected to occur:
a. Styrene-divinylbenzene
b. Methyl methacrylate-allyl methacrylate
c. Vinyl acetate-EGDM
d. Methyl methacrylate-DVA
e. Styrene-butadiene
8. Carbonyl monomers can be copolymerized with either carbonyl monomer or
alkene. Please write the chemical reactions, reaction condition and reaction
products of acetaldehyde copolymerized with chloral, formaldehyde and
styrene, respectively. What kind of copolymer of each monomer pair, random,
alternate, or block will be obtained for each copolymerization? Explain your
answer.
9. 1,3-Butadiene is copolymerized with the following monomers by radical,
cationic and anionic initiation, respectively. Please discuss the expected
qualitatively copolymer composition in order of their increasing butadiene
content and what kind of copolymer would be formed for each of the
comonomer pairs using those three different initiation conditions respectively.
a. n-Butyl vinyl ether, b. methyl methacrylate, c. methyl acrylate, d. styrene, e.
maleic anhydride, f. vinyl acetate, and g. acrylonitrile
10. Discuss the general effects of temperature, solvent, and catalyst on the
monomer reactivity ratios in radical copolymerization; compare the differ-
ences between the radical copolymerization and ionic copolymerization with
the corresponding effects.
References
1. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 3th edn. (Wiley, New York, 1991)

2. M.P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Oxford, New York, 1999)
3. G.E. Ham (ed.), Copolymerization. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1964)
4. F.R. Mayo, C. Walling, Chem. Rev. 46, 191 (1950)
5. I.J. Skeist, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 68, 1781 (1946)
6. A. Ledwith, G. Galli, E. Chiellini, R. Solaro, Polym. Bull. 1, 491 (1979)
7. R.Z. Greenley in Chapter II of Polymer Handbook, 3rd edn., ed by J. Brandrup, E.H.
Immergut (Wiley, New York, 1989)
8. T. Alfrey Jr, C.C. Price, J. Polym. Sci. 2, 101 (1947)
9. A.M. North, Polymer 4, 134 (1963)
10. J.P. Kennedy, E. Marechal, Carbocationic Polymerizations (Wiley-Interscience, New York,
1983)
Chapter 11
Ring-Opening Polymerization
Polymers can be synthesized by polymerizing monomers with ring structure as

shown in Table 11.1. The polymerization of these compounds has some aspects of
both chain and step polymerizations as far as kinetics and mechanisms are con-
cerned. The ring-opening polymerization has been used in the polymerization of
commercial important polymers such as curing of epoxy resin from 3-membered
ring cyclic ethers (epoxides), polyesters from cyclic ester (lactones), polyamides
from cyclic amides (lactams), polysiloxanes from cyclic siloxanes, and so on. We
will discuss the reaction mechanisms and kinetics of ring-opening polymerization
in depth using epoxide, lactam, and cyclic siloxane as examples.
11.1 Reactivity of Cyclic Monomers
The ease of polymerization of a cyclic monomer depends on both thermodynamic

and kinetic factors [2]. The single most important factor that determines whether a
cyclic monomer can be converted to linear polymer is the thermodynamic factor,
i.e., the relative stabilities of the cyclic monomer and linear polymer structure. The
thermodynamic stability of the monomer is dependent on the strain in the ring
structure. The strain in cyclic structure is very high for the 3- and 4-membered
rings, decreases sharply for 5-, 6-, and 7-membered rings, increases for 8–13
membered rings, and then decreases again for larger rings. There are two types of
strain: angle strain and conformational strain. Ring structures of less than five
atoms are highly strained due to the high degree of angle strain, i.e., the large
distortion of their bond angles from the normal tetrahedral bond angle. Bond angle
distortion is virtually absent in rings of five or more members. For rings larger than
five atoms, the strain due to bond angle distortion becomes too excessive to have
planar rings. Therefore, rings larger than five atoms exist in more stable, nonplanar
forms. The differences in strain among 5-membered ring or larger are due to
differences in conformational strain. The 5- and 7-membered rings are somewhat
strained in comparison to the 6-membered ring because of the torsional strain
arising from eclipsed conformations on adjacent atoms of the ring. Rings of 8 or

268 11 Ring-Opening Polymerization
Table 11.1 Examples of polymers prepared by ring-opening polymerization [1]

Polymer type Polymer repeating Monomer structure Monomer type
group
Polyalkene CH CH(CH 2)x Cyclic alkene
CH
(CH2)x
CH
Polyether (CH 2)xO Cyclic ethera
(CH2)x O
Polyesterb O O Lactone
C
(CH 2 ) xCO (CH2)x
O
Polyamide O O Lactam
C
(CH2)xCNH (CH2) x
NH
Polysiloxane CH 3 O Cyclic siloxane
Si O Si(CH 3)2
x
CH 3
Polyphosphazene Cl Cl Cl Hexachloro-
cyclotriphosphazenec
P N P
N N
Cl Cl Cl
P P
N
Cl Cl
Polyamine CH 2 CH2 NH NH Aziridened
CH2 CH2
a
Epoxide (x = 2); oxetane (x = 3)
b
Ring opening of cyclic oligomers has also been developed
c
Phosphonitrilic chloride trimer
d
Also called alkyleneimine
more members have transannular strain arising from repulsive interactions

between hydrogens or other groups which are forced into crowd positions in the
interior of the ring structure. Transannular strain nearly disappears for rings larger
than 13 members, because the ring becomes sufficiently large to accommodate
substituents without transannular repulsions. The general order of thermodynamic
stability of different sized rings of cycloalkene is given by 3,4 5,7–13 \ 6,14
and larger. The same order is observed for a variety of ring structures such as
ethers, lactones, or lactams. It has been observed that substituents on the ring
generally increase its stability relative to the linear structure as repulsive inter-
actions between substituents are less severe in the ring structure.
Table 11.2 shows the semiempirical enthalpy, entropy, and free energy changes
for the conversion of cycloalkanes to the corresponding linear polymer. The denoting
liquid–crystal (lc) subscripts of DH, DS, and DG indicate that the values are those for
the polymerization of liquid monomer to crystalline polymer. DHlc is the major factor
11.1 Reactivity of Cyclic Monomers 269
Fig. 11.1 Determination of 10

the equilibrium monomer
concentration ½Mc for the 9
(C2H5)3O+(BF4)- initiated
polymerization of 8
tetrahydrofuran in
dichloroethane at 0°C [2]
7
RP × 10 3, mol L-1 min -1

6
1 [M] C
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
[M] 0 , mol L-1
Table 11.2 Thermodynamics of polymerization of cycloalkanes at 25°C[2]

DH DS DG
( CH ) (KJ/mol) (J/mol K) (KJ/mol)
2 n
n
3 -113.0 -69.1 -92.5
4 -105.1 -55.3 -90.0
5 -21.2 -42.7 -9.2
6 +2.9 -10.5 +5.9
7 -21.8 -15.9 -16.3
8 -34.8 -3.3 -34.3
in determining DGlc for 3- and 4-membered rings, while DSlc is very important for the
5- and 6-membered rings. The enthalpy and entropy factors DHlc and DSlc contribute
about equally for larger sized rings. Since both DHlc and DSlc are negative, DGlc
becomes less negative with increasing temperature. Above ceiling temperature, DGlc
becomes positive, and polymerization is no longer favorable. For all size rings, the
presence of substituents decreases thermodynamic feasibility for polymerization.
Interactions between substituents are more severe in the linear polymer than in the
cyclic monomer, DHlc is less negative, while DSlc is more negative.
Although ring-opening polymerization is thermodynamically favored for all
except the 6-membered cycloalkane, polymerization of cycloalkanes has been
achieved in very few cases, almost exclusively with cyclopropane derivatives, and
only oligomers are obtained. This point out that thermodynamic feasibility does not
guarantee the actual polymerization of a cyclic monomer. Polymerization requires
that there is a kinetic pathway for the ring to open and undergo reaction. The
cycloalkanes do not have a bond in the ring structure that is easily to be attacked by an
initiator. On the other hand, the lactams, lactones, cyclic ethers and acetals, and other
cyclic monomers can be polymerized. The presence of a heteroatom in the ring
provides a site for nucleophilic or electrophilic attack by initiator species, resulting
in initiation and subsequent propagation by ring opening. Thus, these type monomers
are both kinetically and thermodynamically favored to be polymerized. In general,
the polymerizability is higher for rings of 3, 4, and 7–11 members, lower for rings of
5 members, and much lower for rings of 6 members. However, there are exceptions.
For instance, 6-membered rings with two or more heteroatoms in the ring undergo
polymerization. The 6-membered lactam undergoes polymerization as well.
11.2 General Aspects of Mechanisms and Kinetics
Ring-opening polymerization is generally initiated by the same types of ionic

initiators used in the polymerization of monomers containing carbon–carbon and
carbon–oxygen double bonds [2]. Most cationic ring-opening polymerization
involves the formation and propagation of oxonium ion centers. Reaction involves
the nucleophilic attack of monomer on the oxonium ion:
ð11:1Þ
F + F F
where F represents a functional group such as O, NH, Si–O, C(=O)–O, and C(=O)–
NH in ethers, amines, siloxanes, esters, and amides, respectively. The typical
anionic ring-opening polymerization involves the formation and propagation of
anionic centers. Reaction proceeds by nucleophilic attack of the propagating anion
on monomer:
F + F F ð11:2Þ
where F- represents an anionic propagating center, such as alkoxide or carboxylate,

derived from the cyclic monomer. Ionic ring opening-polymerization exhibits
similar behaviors as the ionic polymerization of carbon–carbon and carbon–oxygen
double bonds discussed in Chap. 8.
Some ring-opening polymerization proceeds by a different route called acti-
vated monomer polymerization. The reaction involves a cationic or anionic species
11.2 General Aspects of Mechanisms and Kinetics 271
derived from the monomer. For example, cationic activated monomer polymeri-
zation does not proceed with monomer, but with protonated monomer that reacts
with the neutral functional end group of the propagating polymer.
FH + H+ F FH ð11:3Þ
Ring-opening polymerization is like a chain polymerization, consisting of a

sequence of initiation, propagation, and termination. On the other hand, only
monomer adds to the growing chains of propagation that is similar to step poly-
merization. However, unlike step polymerization, monomer and larger sized species
do not generally react themselves or with each other in ring-opening polymerization.
Many ring-opening polymerizations proceed as living polymerization. Block
copolymer can be synthesized by this way. The propagation rate constants of ring-
opening polymerizations are generally similar to the rate constants in most step
polymerizations which make them several orders of magnitude lower than those in
typical chain polymerizations. Thus, the buildup of polymer molecular weight is
slower for ring opening polymerization as compared to chain polymerizations.
Polymerization–depolymerization equilibria are more often encountered in
ring-opening polymerization than in the chain polymerizations. Ring-opening
polymerization offers an alternate to step polymerization for the synthesis of many
polymers. Thus, polyesters can be produced either by ring-opening polymerization
of lactones as well as step polymerization of diacids with diols. The ring-opening
polymerization has the advantage over step polymerization for high molecular
weight polymer. The molecular weight of ring-opening polymerization depends on
conversion and the monomer: initiator ratio. However, the monomers of ring-
opening polymerization are not as readily available as the monomers of step
polymerization. On the other hand, the molecular weight of step polymerization
depends on the conversion and stoichiometric balance which is more difficult to
control as compared with ring-opening polymerization.
11.3 Cyclic Ethers
The carbon–oxygen bond in ethers is a strong bond, and the ether oxygen is a
Lewis base [2]. Thus, the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers is initiated
only by cationic species except for epoxides. The 3-membered ring of epoxide is
highly strained which can be initiated by either cationic or anionic initiators.
The polymerization of simple cyclic ethers has been generally limited to those of
3, 4, and 5 ring members, although some works have been done with the 7-membered
ring. The study of larger sized rings has been carried out mostly with cyclic acetals.
The reactivity of different sized cyclic ethers follows the generally expected order.
Cyclic ethers of less than 5 members or more than 6 members are relatively easily
polymerized. The 5-membered cyclic ethers polymerize with more difficulty.
Substituted 5-membered cyclic ethers are usually unreactive, although some cyclic
acetals undergo polymerization. The 6-membered cyclic ethers such as tetrahydro-
pyran 1 and 1,4-dioxane 2 are unreactive under a wide range of reaction conditions,
but the 6-membered cyclic acetal, trioxane 3, undergoes polymerization.
O O O
O O
O
1 2 3
11.3.1 Anionic Polymerization of Epoxides
The anionic polymerization of epoxides such as ethylene and propylene oxides can
be initiated by strong base such as metal hydroxide, alkoxide, oxide, amine, metal
alkyls, and aryls (e.g., sodium naphthalene).
11.3.1.1 Reaction Mechanisms
The reaction mechanisms of ethylene oxide initiated by M+A- can be shown in the
following [2]:
O
+ M +A - A CH 2 CH 2 O -M + ð11:4Þ
CH 2 CH 2
O
A CH2 CH2 O-M+ + A CH2 CH2OCH2CH2 O-M+ ð11:5Þ
CH2 CH2
Equation 11.4 is the initiation reaction and Eq. 11.5 is the propagation reaction.
The overall reaction can be expressed in the following:
O
A CH 2 CH2O CH 2CH2O - M + + A CH 2 CH2O CH2 CH2 O - M+ ð11:6Þ
n CH 2 CH2 n+1
Some initiators polymerize epoxides through an anionic coordination mecha-

nism. Metalloporphyrin derivatives of aluminum and zinc (4 with Z = Cl, OR, R,
OOCR, SR) are commonly used as initiators.
11.3 Cyclic Ethers 273
Ν Ν
φ Αl Ζ φ
Ν Ν
φ
4
Propagation with the anionic coordination initiator 4, involves covalent prop-
agation in which the epoxide monomer is inserted into a metal–oxygen bond as
shown in Eq. 11.7.
CH 2 CH 2 O CH 2 CH 2 O CH 2 CH 2 O
CH 2
M
CH 2 ð11:7Þ
O M
The propagation is a kind of anionic coordination process that involves the

formation of an alkoxide anion on metal and then the cleavage of the metal–
oxygen bond at the propagation center. The metalloporphyrin-initiated polymer-
izations are accelerated by sterically hindered Lewis acids. The Lewis acid
coordinates with the oxygen of monomer that weakens the C–O bond for a facile
nucleophilic attack. The Lewis acid must be sterically hindered to prevent the acid
reacting with the propagating center attached to the porphyrin structure. Thus,
aluminum ortho-substituted phenolates such as methyl aluminum bis (2,6-di-t-
butyl-4-methyl phenolate) accelerate the polymerization very high in the order of
103. The aluminum phenolates without ortho substitutes and other less sterically
hindered Lewis acids are much less effective.
The polymerization of an unsymmetric epoxide, propylene oxide, involves two
possible reaction sites (at carbon 1 or carbon 2) on the epoxide ring for the nucleo-
philic ring-opening reaction. Thus, two different propagating species can be formed
as below:
CH 3
CH CH2 O-K+ (11.8a)
O
CH 3 CH CH 2 CH3
CH 2 CH O -K+ (11.8b)
ðÞ
The propagation occurs almost exclusively by attacking at the carbon 2—less

sterically hindered site, i.e., an SN2 attack (Eq. 11.8b), so the polymer has a
predominantly head-to-tail structure. As expected, more steric hindered propylene
oxide and other substituted epoxides polymerize more slowly than does ethylene
oxide. Most anionic polymerizations of epoxides proceed as living polymerization,

so the block copolymer can be formed by successive monomer addition.
11.3.1.2 Kinetics
The expressions for the rate and degree of polymerization of ring-opening poly-
merization are essentially the same as used to describe living chain polymeriza-
tions [2]. For instance, the polymerization rate of sodium methoxide initiated
polymerization of ethylene oxide can be expressed in the following:
Rp ¼ kpapp ½M ½M ð11:9Þ
where [M*] is the total concentration of free ion and ion pairs. The effect of
reaction media on Rp are similar to the ionic polymerization discussed in Chap. 8.
Changes in solvent and counterion affect reaction rates and the observed rate
expressions by altering the relative amounts of free ion and ion-pair propagating
species, and the extent of association of initiator and propagating species.
The degree of polymerization can be expressed by
p½M0
Xn ¼ ð11:10Þ
½I0
which is the same expressions for living radical and ionic polymerizations, p is the
fractional conversion of monomer at a specific time of reaction. The total number
of propagating chains per initiator molecule should be counted to determine ½I0 .
For example, aluminum porphyrin initiator, ½I0 is the concentration of the alu-
minum porphyrin since there is one propagating chain per aluminum atom.
However, for aluminum isopropoxide, ½I0 is three times the concentration of
aluminum isopropoxide because each aluminum atom carries three propagating
chains that is, each isopropoxide group is an initiator.
11.3.1.3 Exchange Reaction
Exchange side reactions are involved in the polymerization of epoxide which takes
place in the presence of protonic substances such as water or alcohol [2]. For
example, the polymerization initiated by metal alkoxides and hydroxides requires
the presence of water or alcohol to produce a homogeneous system by solubilizing
the initiator. In the presence of alcohol, the exchange reaction between a propa-
gating chain and the alcohol can be expressed by
R ðOCH2 CH2 Þn O Naþ þ ROH

R ðOCH2 CH2 Þn OH þ RO Naþ
ð11:11Þ
Similar exchange reaction is possible between the newly formed polymeric alcohol
in Eq. 11.11 and other propagating chains:
R ðOCH2 CH2 Þn OH þ R ðOCH2 CH2 Þm O Naþ
R ðOCH2 CH2 Þn O Naþ þ R ðOCH2 CH2 Þm OH ð11:12Þ

These exchange reactions lower the polymer molecular weight. Thus, the number-
average degree of polymerization is reduced by including the concentration of
alcohol.
p½M 0
Xn ¼ ð11:13Þ
½I 0 þ ½ROH 0
Each alcohol molecule contributes equally with initiator to determine the size
of propagating chains. The exchange reactions look like chain-transfer reactions,
but they are not. The obtained polymeric alcohol via exchange is not dead but
simply dormant. All alcohol and alkoxide molecules are in dynamic equilibrium in
the reaction. Each polymer chain alternates between the active propagating alk-
oxide and dormant alcohol, so the exchange reaction places an upper limit on the
polymer molecular weight. For example, ethylene oxide polymerizations initiated
by alkoxides or hydroxides in alcohol, very few reports described the achievement
of more than 10,000 molecular weight.
This alcohol exchange side reaction does not occur in the polymerizations
initiated by alkoxides and hydroxides in aprotic polar solvents. This limitation also
does not observe in the polymerizations initiated by the other initiators such as
metal alkyls and aryls and various coordination initiators, since those initiators are
soluble in benzene or tetrahydrofuran. Molecular weight as high as 105–106 has
been achieved. However, the addition of alcohol or other protonic substance can
serve to control polymer molecular weight. Equation 11.13 allows one to calculate
the amount of alcohol or other substance required to be added to achieve the
desired number-average molecular weight.
If the added alcohol ROH is more acidic than the polymeric alcohol, it will
react with the first-formed propagating species as shown in below:
ROCH2 CH2 O Naþ þ ROH ! ROCH2 CH2 OH þ RO Naþ ð11:14Þ

- +
Reinitiation by RO Na is slow, since ROH is relatively acidic. This results in
a decreased polymerization rate and a broadening of the polymer molecular
weight. The rate of polymerization will not be affected much if the ROH is less
acidic than the polymeric alcohol. Exchange will occur in the later stages of
reaction with a broadening of the molecular weight distribution. Other protonic
compound such as HCl or RCOOH present in the reaction, the inhibition, or
retardation will occur because the anion such as Cl- or RCOO- does not have
nucleophilicity. Reinitiation cannot occur. The polymeric alcohols are no longer
dormant but dead. In this case, both polymerization rate and polymer molecular
weight decrease along with a broadening of the polymer molecular weight.
The above discussed initiators are not strong enough to open the ring of cyclic
ethers larger than three. However, they can be polymerized in the presence of
Lewis acid. For example, the oxetane cannot be polymerized by porphyrin alone,
but the reaction proceeds with the addition of Lewis acid. The tetrahydrofuran can
be polymerized by the combination of aluminum alkoxide and Lewis acid. The
Lewis acid complexes with the ether oxygen that results in weakened carbon–
oxygen bond and enhanced nucleophilic attack.
11.3.1.4 Chain Transfer to Monomer
The molecular weight of propylene oxide polymerized by anionic polymerization is

rather low (\6,000), because there are large amount of chain transfer to monomer.
This involves proton abstraction from the methyl group on the epoxide ring then
followed by rapid ring cleavage to form the ally alkoxide anion 5, which isomerizes
partially to the enolate anion 6. Species 5 and 6 reinitiate polymerization of pro-
pylene oxide. The monomer chain-transfer constant is larger by factors of 102–104
than the usual monomer transfer in ionic chain polymerization [3]. Equa-
tions 11.15–11.17 describe the chain-transfer reaction to monomer. Chain transfer
to monomer is in the less extent for polymerizations using anionic coordination
initiators and higher polymer molecular weight have been obtained [4].
ð11:15Þ
ð11:16Þ
ð11:17Þ
6
11.3.2 Cationic Polymerization of Epoxides
The epoxide is cationic polymerized through tertiary oxonium ion-propagating

species using cationic initiators.
11.3.2.1 Initiation
A variety of cationic initiator systems used in polymerization of alkene can be

used for cyclic ether to generate tertiary oxonium ion-propagating species [2].
Strong protonic acids such as trifluoroacetic, fluorosulfonic, and trifluorometh-
anesulfonic (triflic) acids initiate polymerization by the formation of a secondary
oxonium ion initially (Eq. 11.18) which then reacts with a second monomer
molecule to form the tertiary oxonium ion (Eq. 11.19) as shown below. This type
of initiation is limited by the nucleophilicity of the anion A- derived from the acid.
For acids other than the very strong acids such as fluorosulfonic and triflic acids,
the anion is sufficiently nucleophilic to react with monomer, secondary and tertiary
oxonium ions. Thus, only very low molecular weight products are produced. The
presence of water can also directly disrupt the polymerization, since its nucleo-
philicity allows it to react with monomer rather than the formation of the propa-
gating oxonium ions.
R R
H +A- + O HO ð11:18Þ
R A R
R R R
HO + O OHCH 2 CR 2 CH2 O ð11:19Þ
A R R A R
Lewis acids, such as BF3 and SbCl5 need in conjunction with water or some
other protogen, initiate polymerization of cyclic ethers. The initiator and coiniti-
ator form an initiator–coinitiator complexes [e.g., BF3 H2O, H+(SbCl6)-] to act as
a proton donor. Cationic photopolymerizations are achieved when similar proton
donors are formed by the photolysis of diaryliodonium or triarylsulfonium salts.
The use of cationogen such as an alkyl or acyl halide with a Lewis acid
generates carbocations and acylium ions, either in situ or as isolate salts, which can
initiate polymerization as shown below:
CCl + AgSbF6 AgCl + C +(SbF6)- ð11:20Þ

3 3
O O
+ SbCl 5 + (SbCl6) -
ð11:21Þ
CCl C
The initiation with some carbocations, especially trityl, does not involve direct
addition to monomer. The carbocation abstracts a hydride ion from the alpha
carbon of monomer and the newly formed carbocation initiates polymerization.
The hydride ion abstraction is very facile with 1,3-dioxolane, so it can be used to
produce stable 1,3-dioxolan-2-ylium salts (7), then used subsequently as initiators
as shown below:
H
(SbF6)-
C+(SbF6)- + O O O O
CH +
3 3
7
ð11:22Þ
A more reactive cyclic ether such as oxirane or oxetane has been used in
combination with Lewis acid, protogen, or cationogen to initiate the polymeriza-
tion of less reactive cyclic ethers such as tetrahydrofuran. The formation of the
secondary and tertiary oxonium ions of the more reactive cyclic ether can act as
initiators for polymerization of the less reactive cyclic ether. The reactive cyclic
ethers are called promoter which is used in relative small amounts to the cyclic
ether being polymerized. The promoter increases the ability of the less reactive
cyclic ether to form the tertiary oxonium ion.
11.3.2.2 Propagation
The propagation of cationic polymerization of cyclic ethers is proceeded by a

tertiary oxonium ion, as shown below, where A- is counter ion [2].
R R
OCH2 CR 2CH 2 O + O
A R R
R
OCH 2 CR 2CH2 O O
R R A R
ð11:23Þ
The alpha carbon of the oxonium ion is electron-deficient because of the

adjacent positively charged oxygen. Propagation occurs at the alpha carbon of the
oxonium by SN2 reaction. However, SN1 ring opening has been suggested for a
monomer with two alkyl substituents at the alpha-position. Most cationic ring-
opening polymerizations are highly regioselective with the formation of head-to-
tail structures, only few cases contain head-to-head and tail-to-tail structures are
found in some systems.
The cationic ring-opening polymerizations contain three species in equilibrium:
Covalent ester 8, ion pair 9, and free ion 10 in equilibrium. The relative amounts of
each species depend on the monomer, solvent, temperature, and other reaction
conditions similar to the cationic polymerization of alkene.
OCH 2 CH2CH 2CH 2 A O O A

A ð11:24Þ
8 9 10
There is usually little or no difference in reactivity between free ions and ion
pairs as observed in the cationic chain polymerization. The presence of covalent
species has been identified by NMR and other methods, but whether they are
reactive or dormant is not very clear. The covalent propagating involves two steps
as shown in Eqs. 11.25 and 11.26. The covalent propagation has been confirmed in
the polymerization of THF by triflic esters. A mixture of oxonium ion and mac-
roester is obtained when methyl triflate is mixed with THF. Covalent propagation
is slower than ionic propagation by a factor of 102–103 or more. In most of cationic
polymerization of cyclic ethers, the covalent species are present predominately. In
the polymerization of THF by methyl triflate, covalent species account for about
95 % of species in CCl4 solution. Ionic species increased to 95 % in the very polar
solvent CH3NO2. When covalent species are the major species, they are dormant
species because of their lower reactivity as compared to ionic species. This slows
down the propagation and also allows sufficient time to complete the initiation.
That results in a living polymerization by reversible deactivation of ionic propa-
gation species as described in the living free radical polymerization, and shown
below:
O
ð11:25Þ
OCH2 CH2 CH 2 CH 2 A O (CH 2 )4 OCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 +A-
O(CH 2 )4OCH 2 CH 2 CH2 CH 2 A ð11:26Þ
11.3.2.3 Termination and Transfer Processes
The cationic ring opening polymerization of cyclic ethers can proceed as living
polymerization when irreversible chain-transfer reactions are absent [2]. These
conditions can be achieved when an appropriate initiator is used to generate
reversible covalent and ionic exchange propagating species. The suitable initiators
are acylium and 1,3-dioxolan-2-ylium salts containing very stable counterions
such as AsF6-, PF6-, and SbCl6- or with very strong acids (fluorosulfonic and
trifluoromethane sulfonic acid) or their esters.
The chain transfer to polymer resulted in the propagation chain is terminated
but the kinetic chain is unaffected. The reaction is similar to that of cationic
polymerization of alkene as discussed in Chap. 8. The reaction involves the
propagating chain being nucleophilic attacked by the ether oxygen of polymer
chain, the same type of reaction involved in propagation to form the tertiary
oxonium ion 11. Subsequently, nucleophilic attack on 11 by monomer yields 12
and regenerates the propagating species as shown in Eqs. 11.27–11.29. The overall
effect is a broadening of the molecular weight distribution. The molecular weight
distribution in some reaction system is close to the distribution expected for a step
polymerization (about 2). Chain transfer to polymer also occurs as an intramo-
lecular reaction as well intermolecular reaction. The intramolecular reactions
(back-biting reaction) results in the formation of cyclic oligomers instead of linear
polymer. In other words, the chain ends in 11 are connected to each other. The
competition between propagation and chain transfer to polymer depends on many
factors. For instance, propagation is favored on steric grounds since attack by
monomer is less hindered than attack by the ether oxygen of polymer chain.
The relative nucleophilic activities of ether oxygens from monomer and polymer
are important that vary considerably depending on monomer ring size. Toward the
end of polymerization, intramolecular (not intermolecular) chain transfer to
polymer becomes progressively more important at lower monomer concentrations.
(CH 2) 4
O(CH2 )4 O + O ð11:27Þ
A (CH 2) 4
O
(CH 2) 4
O(CH 2) 4 O(CH 2 )4 O
A (CH 2) 4 ð11:28Þ
11
O(CH2)4 O(CH 2 )4 O(CH 2)4 + O (CH 2 )4

A ð11:29Þ
12
Termination reactions occur by combination of the propagating oxonium ion

with either the counterion or an anion derived from the counterion as shown in
Eq. 11.30. It is known that the use of protonic acids as initiators is limited by the
nucleophilicity of the anion of the acid. Transfer of an anion from the counterion,
for example, occurs to varying degrees depending on the stability of the coun-
terion. Thus, counterions such as (PF6)- and (SbCl6)- have little tendency to bring
about termination by transfer of a halide ion, while counterions of aluminum and
tin have appreciable transfer tendencies; others such as (BF4)- and (FeCl4)- are
intermediate in behavior.
OCH 2 CH 2 O OCH 2CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2OH + BF3

ð11:30Þ
BF 3 OH
Termination may also occur by chain transfer with the initiator (e.g., alcohol or
water) or with chain-transfer agent. The termination has been deliberated to carry
out to produce polymers with specific molecular weights or telechelic polymers
with specific end groups. For example, hydroxyl and amine end groups are
obtained by using water and ammonia as chain-transfer agents; carboxyl-ended
telechelics can be obtained by termination with ketene silyl acetal then followed
by hydrolysis with base. The insolubility of polymer will also terminate the
reaction because the active site is not accessible.
11.3.3 Polymerization of Cyclic Acetals
The cyclic structure of cyclic acetals contains at least one 1,1-dialkoxy grouping
[(RO)2CH2 or (RO)2CHR] [2]. They can be easily polymerize by cationic initia-
tion. Various 1,3-dioxocycloakanes 13 are commonly used such as 1,3-dioxolane
(m = 2), 1,3-dioxepane (m = 4), and 1,3-dioxocane (m = 5) are commonly used.
The polymers of cyclic acetal can be considered as copolymers of the O(CH2)m
and OCH2 units. The 6-membered ring cyclic acetal, 1,3-dioxane (m = 3), is too
stable to be polymerized. The polymerization reaction of cyclic acetal is shown
below:
O
CH 2 (CH 2 )m O(CH 2) m OCH 2
n ð11:31Þ
O
13
Two kinds of propagating chains were proposed for the reaction mechanisms of
cyclic acetal polymerization as shown in Eq. 11.32. Both experimental and
computational data indicate that more than 99.9 % of the propagating species are
oxonium ions for unsubstituted 1,3-dioxocycloalkanes. Since oxonium ions are
100-fold lower in reactivity toward propagation than oxycarbocations, propagation
is predominately carried by oxonium ions [5]. However, the propagation by
oxycarbocations is significant for 2-alkyl-1,3-dioxocycloalkanes. The 2-alkyl
substitudent provides the additional stabilization of positive charge center and the
steric hindrance that lead the propagation through oxonium ions.
O(CH2 )mO CH 2
CH 2
O O ð11:32Þ
(CH 2 )m
O(CH 2 )mO CH 2
1,3,5-trioxane, the cyclic trimer of formaldehyde, by cationic ring opening

polymerization yields the same polymer, polyoxymethylene, as the cationic
polymerization of formaldehyde (Sect. 8.5.2). This polymerization has been car-
ried out in industry using boron trifluoride etherate in the presence of water.
The 1,3,5-trioxane polymerizes in spite of containing 6-membered ring, because
the polymerization occurs with simultaneous precipitation of crystalline polymer.
The heat of crystallization makes the process an exothermic polymerization. The
polymerization of 1,3,5-trioxane proceeds with the formation of polymer-form-

aldehyde equilibrium. Thus, the reaction involves an induction period for the
build-up of the equilibrium concentration of formaldehyde. This induction period
also corresponds to a built-up in 1,3,5,7-tetroxocane by the insertion of formal-
dehyde into 1,3,5-trioxane. Polymer is not formed until both formaldehyde and
1,3,5,7-tetroxocane appear. Formaldehyde (a lesser extent) and 1,3,5,7-tetroxocane
decrease the induction period by increasing the rate of propagation to have the
crystalline polymer precipitated out. Then, the polymerization is accelerated by
converting 1,3,5-trioxane monomer to crystalline polymer directly. The poly-
merization is usually carried out in bulk or at high monomer concentration to
depress cyclic oligomer formation via chain-transfer reaction.
The reaction of transfer and termination of cyclic acetals are similar to the
cyclic ether. Chain transfer to polymer (both inter- and intramolecular) is faster in
cyclic acetal polymerizations as compared to cyclic ethers because acetal oxygens
in the polymer chain are more basic than the corresponding ether oxygens. The
trioxane polymerization exhibits an additional termination reaction by chain
transfer. The propagating chain with monomer via hydride ionic transfer to form
methoxy terminated polymer and carbocation 14. The 14 can reinitiate the
polymerization.
O CH2 O CH2
OCH 2OCH 2 OCH 2 + CH 2 O OCH 2OCH 2 OCH 3 + CH O
O CH2 O CH2
14
ð11:33Þ
11.3.4 Kinetic Characteristics
The reaction kinetics of cationic ring-opening polymerization depend on its

reaction mechanism [2]. Some polymerizations can be described the same as the
cationic polymerization of carbon–carbon double bonds. If the polymerizations are
with little or no termination, the kinetic expressions of living polymerization can
be followed. The cationic ring-opening polymerizations of larger sized ring ( 4)
take place without terminations and are reversible. The propagation-depropagation
equilibrium can be expressed by
kp
M n þ M
M nþ1 ð11:34Þ
kdp
The polymerization rate can be expressed by

d½M
Rp ¼ ¼ kp ½M ½M kdp ½M ð11:35Þ
dt
At the equilibrium, the polymerization rate is zero, then
kp ½Mc ¼ kdp ð11:36Þ
where ½M c is the equilibrium monomer concentration.
Combining Eqs. 11.35 and 11.36, give the polymerization rate as
d½M
¼ kp ½M ð½M ½M c Þ ð11:37Þ
dt
Integrate Eq. 11.37 and yield

½M 0 ½M c
ln ¼ kp ½M t ð11:38Þ
½M ½M c
where ½M 0 is the initial monomer concentration.
The equilibrium monomer concentration ½M c is obtained by direct analysis or
by determining the intercept of a plot of polymerization rate versus initial
monomer concentration as shown in Fig. 11.1. The polymerization data are then
plotted according to Eq. 11.38 as shown in Fig. 11.2. A straight line is obtained
and its slope is kp ½M . Since ½M can be obtained from measurements of the
number-average molecular weight of living polymer, one can determine the
propagation rate constant. The concentration of the propagating chain is reciprocal
to the concentrations of initiator and coinitator (living polymerization equation).
For the case, the concentration of propagating centers changes with time, inte-
gration of Eq. 11.38 yields
Zt2
½M 1 ½M c
ln ¼ kp ½M t ð11:39Þ
½M 2 ½M c
t1
where ½M 1 and ½M 2 are the monomer concentrations at times t1 and t2 ,

respectively.
The quantitative dependence of the degree of polymerization on various reac-
tion parameters has been described by an equilibrium polymerization involving
initiation
Ki
I þ M
M ð11:40Þ
Fig. 11.2 Disappearance of 0.3

monomer in the
polymerization of
tetrahydrofuran by
⎛ [M]0- [M]C⎞
⎟
⎝ [M] - [M] C⎠
0.2
(C6H5)2CH+(SbCl6)- at
25°C; a plot of Eq. 11.38 [2]
0.1
ln ⎜
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time, min
followed by propagation (Eq. 11.34). The degree of polymerization is then given

by
½M 0 ½M c
Xn ¼ ð11:41Þ
½I 0 ½I c
where ½M c and ½I c are the unreacted monomer and initiator concentrations at
equilibrium. The polymer molecular weight increases with decreasing ½I 0 and
increasing ½M 0 . Larger values of kp , (the equilibrium constant for Eq. 11.34) and
smaller values of Ki yield higher polymer molecular weights by decreasing ½Mc
and increasing ½Mo , respectively.
11.3.5 Thermodynamic Characteristics
The temperature effect on the rate of polymerization of cyclic ethers and acetals is
dependent on types of monomers, solvents, initiators, and coinitiators [2]. The
effect is generally similar to those observed in ionic polymerizations of alkenes.
The rate of polymerization is almost always increased with increasing temperature,
so the ERp is positive. Typical values of ERp are in the range 20–80 kJ mol-1 with
most of values in the upper range.
The effect of temperature on the degree of polymerization is more complex [2].
For most polymerization, increasing the temperature decreases the polymer
molecular weight because of increased rates of transfer and termination relative to
propagation. Table 11.3 shows this effect for the polymerization of oxetane by
boron trifluoride through the intramolecular chain transfer to polymer, the for-
mation of cyclic tetramer is increased with increasing temperature. In other
polymerizations, the propagating rate is increased with increasing temperature, but
the termination and transfer reactions may not be appreciably affected. That results
in an increase in polymer molecular weight. Figure 11.3 shows this example
observed in the polymerization of tetrahydrofuran. The molecular weight of
Table 11.3 Effect of temperature on polymerization of oxetane [2]

Temperature Intrinsic viscosity of polymer Ultimate conversion of Proportion of
(°C) (dLg-1) monomer (%) tetramer (%)
-80 2.9 95 4
0 2.1 94 10
50 1.3 64 66
100 1.1 62 62
Fig. 11.3 Effect of 3.5

temperature on polymer Intrinsic viscosity, dLg -1 3.0
molecular weight in the BF3
polymerization of 2.5
tetrahydrofuran. [2]
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Temperature, oC
polymer increases initially with increasing temperature up to about -5°C and then
subsequently decreases at higher temperatures. The rate of termination is relatively
unaffected at the lower temperatures but increases with temperature at the higher
temperatures.
The enthalpies and entropies of polymerization of different cyclic ethers and
acetals are summarized in Table 11.4. The data of carbonyl monomer, formal-
dehyde, are included for the purpose of comparison. As compared with the
enthalpies and entropies of alkene polymerization (Table 7.16), the DH values of
3- and 4-membered ring are comparable to those of alkenes. Both values are
appreciably larger than the value of formaldehyde. The conversion of a carbonyl p
bond to a r bond is not as exothermic as the corresponding conversion of an alkene
p bond. The DH values of the larger sized cyclic monomers are much lower than
those of alkenes. The DS values of most cyclic monomers are considerably smaller
as compared to those of the alkenes and carbonyls. The results indicate that the
cyclic monomers, having less degree of freedom to begin with, the loss in disorder
on polymerization (DS) are less than for noncyclic monomers. Ethylene oxide is an
exception because of its highly strained 3-membered ring. The DS values for few
of the cyclic monomers, tetrahydrofuran, and 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxetane, are
similar to the lowest values observed for alkene monomers. The DH values of
different cyclic ethers and acetals follow closely to the order expected from the
relative stability of the ring size. The 3- and 4-membered cyclic monomers
undergo the most exothermic polymerizations that are decreasing fast with large
Table 11.4 DH and DS of polymerization of cyclic ethers [2]

Monomer Ring size -DH (KJ/mol) -DS (J/mol K)
Ethylene oxide 3 94.5 174
Oxetane 4 81 –
3,3-Bis(chloromethyl) oxetane 4 84.5 83
Tetrahydrofuran 5 23.4 82.4
1,3-Dioxolane 5 17.6 47.7
4-Methyl-1,3-dioxolane 5 13.4 53.1
Trioxane 6 4.5 18
1,3-Dioxepane 7 15.1 48.1
2-Methyl-1,3-dioxepane 7 8.8 37.2
4-Methyl-1,3-dioxepane 7 9.2 38.9
1,3-Dioxocane 8 18.3 –
1,3,6-Triocane 8 13.0 21.3
2-n-Butyl-1,3,6-trioxocane 8 7.9 16.3
1,3,6,9-Tetraoxacycloundecane 11 8.0 6.2
Formaldehyde – 31.1 79.2
sized ring. For example, trioxane, the 6-membered ring monomer has a DH very
close to zero. Due to the steric hinderence, substituents on a ring structure decrease
the tendency to polymerize and the DH value is lowered. For instance, the DH
values of the substituted 1,3-dioxlane, 1,3-dioxepane, and 1,3,6-trioxocane
monomers are lower than that of the corresponding unsubstituted monomers.
Substituted oxetanes are an exception to this generalization, the strain effect is
overweight the substitution effect.
11.3.6 Commercial Applications of Polymers of Cyclic Ether
One of the most important industrial applications of polymers of cyclic ether is to

make polyether macrodiols for polyurethane industry. They are telechelic polye-
thers having hydroxy terminal groups. They are synthesized from the polymer-
izations and copolymerizations of ethylene and propylene oxides as well as
polymerization of tetrahydrofuran. The commercial macrodiols in the molecular
weight range of 500–6,000 and are used to produce polyurethane and polyester
block copolymers including the thermoplastic polyurethane and polyester elasto-
mers. The polyether macrodiols are also referred to as polyether glycols or polyols
(trade names: Carbowax, Jeffox, Polyglycol, Polymeg, and Terathane). The
medium molecular weight (*20,000) of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide
polymers and copolymers are used as hydraulic fluids and lubricants, additives in
cosmetics, and binders in ceramic and powder metallurgy by taking the advantage
of their hydrophilic properties. The high molecular weight (105–106) of ethylene
oxide polymers are used in flocculation, denture adhesives, packaging films,
thickening agent in paints, and so on.
The copolymers made from epichlorohydrin with ethylene oxide and allyl
glycidyl ether are useful elastomers. These materials (trade names: Epichlomer,
Herclor, and Hydrin) have good resistance to fuel, oil, ozone, and heat. They also
exhibit low temperature flexibility and high permeation resistance toward air and
vapors of hydrocarbons and fluorocarbons.
Epoxy resin [6, 7] contains 3-membered oxirane terminal groups that can be
ring opening polymerized with either multifunctional base or acid to form cross-
linked polymers. They exhibit excellent adhesive strength and chemical resistance,
high thermal resistance, and mechanical strength. They have been used extensively
in electronic industry as bonding adhesive, electrical insulations for large power
equipment, composites for aerospace industry, baking enamels for appliances and
cars, and so on. The photo initiated cationic ring opening polymerization of epoxy
resin has been utilized in electronics, printing, and coating.
11.4 Lactams
The polymerization of lactams (Eq. 11.42) can be initiated by bases, acids, and
water. Initiation by water is the most often used method for polymerization of
lactams in industry [2]. Anionic initiation is also used in industry to produce
objects directly in molds through bulk polymerization. Cationic initiation is not
useful, because the conversions and polymer molecular weights are low. Nylon 6
is produced commercially which accounts for almost one–third of all polyamides.
Nylons 11 and 12 are specialty polyamides which are used in the applications
requiring high moisture resistance and hydrolytic stability.
O
C ð11:42Þ
(CH2)m NH NH(CH 2)mCO
n
11.4.1 Cationic Polymerization
A various of protonic and Lewis acids can initiate the cationic polymerization of
lactame. The reaction follows the mechanism of acid-catalyzed nucleophilic
substitution reactions of amides as shown in Eq. 11.43. Initiation occurs by
nucleophilic attack of monomer on protonated monomer 15 to form an ammonium
salt 16 that subsequently undergoes proton exchange with monomer to yield 17
and protonated monomer.
11.4 Lactams 289
O OH O
C C C O H
+
R NH HN R R NH C
HN R
15 16
O O OH
C O monomer C O C
+ (11.43)
R N C R NH3 R N C R NH 2 HN R
17
Propagation proceeds in a similar manner as a nucleophilic attack by the pri-
mary amine end group of a growing polymer chain 18 on protonated monomer to
yield 19 as shown in Eq. 11.44.
O OH O
C C C
+
R N CORNH CORNH2 HN R R N CORNH CORNH3
n n+1
18 19
ð11:44Þ
Then 19 undergoes proton exchange with monomer as below:
O O O OH
C C C C
R N CORNH CORNH 3 + HN R R N CORNH CORNH 2 + HN R
n+1 n+1
20
ð11:45Þ
20 is an AB type of monomer which can be self propagated through the reaction

between amine and lactam end groups. Actually, the lactam end groups are pro-
tonated prior to reaction. The reaction is similar to Eq. 11.44. Although this
reaction is only a minor contribution to the overall conversion of lactam to
polymer, it determines the final degree of polymerization. There are intermolecular
nucleophilic attack of amine on amide linkages within a polymer chain which
result in cyclic oligomer formation. Overall, the molecular weight distribution of
the polymer is close to the Flory most probable distribution.
Various side reactions greatly limit the conversions and polymer molecular
weights of cationic polymerization of lactams. The highest achievable molecular
weights are 10,000–20,000. The most significant side reaction is amidine 21 for-
mation as shown in Eq. 11.46. Propagation of the polymer chain and amidine
formation proceed through the common intermediate 20 formed by attaching an

amine group to the protonated carbonyl of any amide group. The formation of
amidine formation decreases the concentration of amine groups in the reaction
system which leads to a slower rate of reaction. The water released during the
formation of amidine can initiate polymerization but at a slower rate. Furthermore,
amidine groups react rapidly with acidic initiators to generate relatively unreactive
salts that decreases the rate and degree of polymerization.
OH
OH
C N -H2 O C N
NH2 + C N -H+
NH 2 N
21
ð11:46Þ
Both the hydrolytic and anionic routes described below require that a lactam
have a hydrogen on the nitrogen. Therefore, the N-alkylated lactams can only be
polymerized by cationic route. The commercial applications for N-alkylated
polyamides are limited, because they are low in melting points from the lack of
hydrogen bonding.
11.4.2 Hydrolytic Polymerization
When water initiator is used to polymerize the lactam, the polymerization is called
hydrolytic polymerization [2]. It is a special case of cationic polymerization. This
reaction has been used extensively in the production of Nylon 6 from e-capro-
lactam commercially. Several equilibria are involved in the polymerization. These
are hydrolysis of the lactam to e-amino-caproic acid (Eq. 11.47), step polymeri-
zation of the amino acid with itself (Eq. 11.48), and the initiation of ring-opening
polymerization by the amino acid obtained from Eq. 11.47.
O
C ð11:47Þ
(CH 2)5 NH + H2O COOH (CH2)5 NH2
O
H2O
ð11:48Þ
COOH + H2N C NH +
The COOH group of the amino acid protonates the lactam to form cationic
active species that can be nucleophic attacked by amine to initiate the reaction.
11.4 Lactams 291
The propagation process follows the same manner in the cationic polymerization
as shown in Eq. 11.49. The product subsequently protonates lactam and propa-
gation continues.
OH
C
-OOCRNH CORNH CORNH2 + HN R ð11:49Þ
n
HOOCRNH CORNH CORNH2

n+1
The overall rate of conversion of ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactam

(Eq. 11.47) is higher than the step polymerization of e-amino-caproic acid
(Eq. 11.48) by more than an order of magnitude. The self polymerization of e-
amino-caproic acid accounts only a few percent of the total polymerization of e-
caprolactam. The polymerization is acid catalyzed as shown in Eq. 11.49, amines
and water are poor initiators. The polymerization rate in the presence of water is
first-order in lactam and second-order in COOH terminated molecule.
Although the self polymerization of e-amino-caproic acid is only a minor
contribution to the overall conversion to polymer, it determines the final degree of
the polymerization at equilibrium since the polymer undergoes self-condensation.
Usually, most of the water used to initiate polymerization is removed after about
80–90 % conversion in order to drive the reaction to high molecular weight. Thus,
the molecular weight polymer can be controlled by the initial amount of water,
monomer concentrations, and the addition of small but specific amount of mono-
functional acid. The molecular weight distribution is followed the statistic prob-
ability distribution proposed by Flory. The amidines formed in hydrolytic poly-
merization of lactam do not limit the molecular weight, because the carboxyl end
groups of growing chain are quite reactive toward amidine groups.
11.4.3 Anionic Polymerization
Strong bases such as alkali metals, metal hydrides, metal amides, metal alkoxides,
and organometallic compounds are used to initiate the polymerization of a lactam
[2]. The lactam anion is forming using metal as shown in Eq. 11.50.
O O
C C
1
ð11:50Þ
(CH2)5 NH + M (CH2)5 N-M+ + 2 H2
or with a metal derivative as shown in Eq. 11.51.

O O
C C ð11:51Þ
(CH 2)5 NH + B-M+ (CH2)5 N -M+ + BH
The use of an alkali metal or metal hydride gives a high concentration of lactam
anion, but side reactions contaminate the product with amines and water that
destroy reactive initiating and propagating species. The use of weaker bases
produces a lower concentration of lactam anion unless the equilibrium is pushed to
the right of the chemical reaction equation. The use of most bases contaminates the
system with the conjugate acid (BH) of the base that also destroys reactive species.
The preferred method of initiation consists of generating and purifying the lactam
anion first, then the purified anion is used to initiate the polymerization.
The lactam anion reacts with monomer in the second step of the initiation
process by a ring-opening trans-amidation to form primary amine anion as below:
O O O
C C C O ð11:52Þ
H
(CH2) 5 N-M + + HN (CH2) 5 (CH2)5 N C (CH2)5N-M+
The lactam anion is not stabilized by conjugation with a carbonyl group. It is

highly reactive and rapidly abstracts a proton from monomer to form the imide
dimer and regenerate the lactam anion.
O O
C O C
H
(CH2) 5 N C (CH2) 5N-M+ + (CH2)5 NH
ð11:53Þ
O O
C O C
(CH 2) 5 N C (CH 2) 5 NH 2 + (CH 2) 5 N -M +
The lactam polymerization is limited by using strong base alone. There are the
induction periods as discussed before and the reaction is only limited to more
reactive lactams such as e-caprolactam and 7-heptanolactam. The less reactive
lactams such as 2-pyrrolidinone and 2-piperidinone, are much sluggish toward
polymerization by strong base alone. The formation of the imide dimer is difficult
from these relatively unreactive lactams. The limitations can be overcome by
11.4 Lactams 293
forming an imide by reacting lactam with an acylating agent such as acid chloride,
anhydride, isocyanate, monocarbodiimide, and others (11.54). The N-acyl lactam
can be synthesized in situ or preformed and then added to the monomers for
polymerization. The use of an acylating agent is advantageous even for the more
reactive lactam as induction periods are absent, polymerization rates are higher
and lower reaction temperature can be used.
O O O
C R C Cl C O ð11:54Þ
(CH 2)5 NH (CH 2)5 N C R
The initiation of N-acyl lactams involves it reacts with activated monomer

followed by fast proton exchange with monomer as below:
O O
C O C ð11:55Þ
( CH 2 ) 5 N C R + - +
(CH 2 ) 5 N M
O
C O M+ O ð11:56Þ
monomer
(CH2)5 N C (CH 2)5 N C R
O O
C O O C
(CH2)5 N C (CH 2)5 NH C R + (CH2)5 N-M+
The propagation follows the same manner as in the strong base initiation
process except that the propagating chain has an acylated end group instead of the
amine end group:
O O
C O O C
(CH2) 5 N C (CH2) 5NH C R + (CH 2)5 N -M+
O
C O M+ O O
monomer
(CH 2)5 N C (CH 2)5 N C (CH2)5NH C R
O O
C O O C ð11:57Þ
(CH2)5 N C (CH2)5NH C R + (CH2)5 N -M +
n
The polymerization rate is dependent on the concentrations of base and N-acyl

lactam, which determine the concentrations of activated monomer and propagating
chains, respectively. The degree of polymerization increases with conversion and
monomer concentration but decreases with N-acyl lactam concentration. These
characteristics are qualitatively similar to those of living polymerization, but
lactam polymerization is not living polymerization. Due to the side reactions, the
decay of activated monomer and propagating chain concentration is very rapid.
The side reactions include hydrogen abstraction from C–H bonds a- to amide
carbonyls to form b-ketoimides and b-ketoamides and then subsequently to gen-
erate side products through Claisen-type condensation reactions. The latter reac-
tion yields water as a product which decreases the concentrations of activated
monomer and N-acyl lactam.
The molecular weight distribution (MWD) is usually broader than the most
probable distribution as a result of branching at the later stages of reaction. The
polymeric amide anion attacks the lactam end group of another polymer chain to
form branching. Further branching will occur through Claisen condensation. The
MWD is considerably broader when an N-acyl lactam is not used because the
initiation is slow. The high PDI is also due to the polymer chains initiated early,
grow for longer times than those initiated later.
11.4.4 Reactivity of Lactam
The polymerization reactivity of lactam depends on ring size and type of initiation.
The reactivity of cationic and hydrolytic polymerizations is wider spread than does
anionic polymerization due to their lower reactivity. The 6-membered lactam can
undergo polymerization in anionic polymerization, whereas most of 6-membered
cyclic monomers are unreactive toward ring-opening polymerization. The
substituted lactams exhibit lower reactivity than that of unsubstituted lactams due
to the steric hindrance effect at the reaction site.
11.5 Cyclosiloxanes
The high molecular weight polysiloxane is synthesized by either cationic or

anionic ring opening polymerization of trimer or tetramer of cyclic siloxanes [2].
The anionic polymerization of cyclic siloxanes can be initiated by alkali metal
hydroxides, alkyls, and alkoxides, silanolates such as potassium trimethylsilano-
ate, (CH3)3SiOK, and bases. Both initiation and propagation involve a nucleophilic
attack on monomer similar to the anionic polymerization of epoxides as shown
below:
11.5 Cyclosiloxanes 295
O
A- + A SiR2O SiR2 O ð11:58Þ
SiR 2 OSiR2 3
3
O
SiR 2O + SiR 2O SiR 2O ð11:59Þ
SiR 2 OSiR 2 4
3
It is interesting to note that the enthalpy of polymerization of cyclic siloxanes,

DH, is nearly zero and entropy DS is positive by 6.7 J mol-1 K-1 [8, 9]. The
driving force of this polymerization is the increase in entropy on polymerization.
The positive DS values for the cyclic siloxane probably result from the high degree
of flexibility of the linear polymer chains and the large sized atoms of Si. This
flexibility leads to greater degrees of freedom in the linear polymer compared to
the cyclic monomer.
The cationic process is more complicated and less understood than the anionic
process. Various protonic and Lewis acids are used to initiate cationic polymeri-
zation of cyclic siloxanes. Most of the cationic polymerization proceeds by
simultaneously step polymerization and ring-opening polymerization. The initia-
tion starts with the protonation of monomer then followed by subsequent reaction
with monomer to form the tertiary oxonium. The propagation step follows the
similar nucleophilic attack of monomer on the tertiary oxonium ion as shown
below:
A-
O HA HO
monomer
SiR 2 OSiR2 SiR2 OSiR2
3 3
ð11:60Þ
A-
H OSiR 2 OSiR 2 O
3
SiR 2 OSiR 2
3
A- A-
OSiR2 OSiR2 O monomer OSiR2 OSiR2 O
3 7
SiR2 OSiR2 SiR2 OSiR2
3 3
ð11:61Þ
Polysiloxane (silicone) is a very important commercial polymer. It possess an

unusual combination of properties which can sustain a wide temperature range (-
100 to 250°C). It exhibits very good low temperature flexibility because its low Tg
of -127°C. Silicone is very stable to high temperature, oxidation, and chemical
and biological environments because its strong and long Si–O bond and wide Si–
O–Si bond as compared with carbon–carbon bond. It has been used widely in our
daily life such as sealants, coatings, medical implants, and so on.
11.6 Copolymerization
Considerable ring-opening copolymerizations have been performed either using

similar type cyclic monomers (e.g., two kind cyclic ethers or two kind lactams) or
using different type cyclic monomers (e.g., cyclic ether with lactam) [2]. The
copolymerizations between cyclic monomers with alkene and other compounds
are also extensively studied. Ring-opening copolymerization is very complicated.
For copolymerization proceeds by the activated monomer mechanism such as
cyclic ether and lactams, the actual monomers are the activated monomers. The
concentration of two activated monomers may be different from the comonomer
feed. Calculations of monomer reactivity ratios using the feed composition will
introduce errors. Most of ring-opening copolymerizations involve propagation–
depropagation equilibria which need to handle the experimental data very care-
fully to determine the reactivity ratio of each monomer.
The situation is more complicated when there are additional equilibria between
polymer and cyclic oligomer or by intermolecular chain transfer to polymer which
result in reshuffling of monomer units. It is possible to avoid or minimize the
reshuffling equilibria by using mild initiators, low conversions, and highly reactive
monomers. However, reactions of near-complete reshuffling of monomer units have
been observed in industrial practice. For instance, the anionic copolymerization of
octamethyl cyclotetrasiloxane (M1) and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,3,7-tetravinyl
cyclotetrasiloxane (M2) (feed ratio 9:1) by potassium silanolate at 130 °C. The
initial copolymer is very rich in M2, and this monomer is exhausted early. Further
reaction results not only in conversion of M1 but also redistribution of the M2 units.
Silicon 29 NMR shows the M2 units to be in blocks at short reaction times but
statistically distributed at long reaction times. Similar results have been observed in
the cationic copolymerization of methyl glyoxylate and 1,3-dioxolane [2].
11.6 Copolymerization 297
Counterion effects similar to those in ionic chain copolymerizations of alkenes

are present. Monomer reactivity ratios are also sensitive to solvent and tempera-
ture. Some ring-opening polymerizations proceed two different mechanisms,
simultaneously. The monomer reactivity ratios for any co-monomer pair are
unlikely to be the same for the two different propagations. Any experimentally
determined r values are the combination of two different r values.
The selection of adequate initiator is extremely important for copolymerizations
between monomers containing different polymerizing functional groups. Basic
differences in the propagating centers (oxonium ion, amide anion, carbocation,
etc.,) for different types of monomer may exclude some kind of copolymerizations.
Even when two different types of monomers have similar propagating centers, they
may not have completely compatible two crossover reactions. For example,
oxonium ions initiate cyclic amine polymerization, but ammonium ions do not
initiate cyclic ether polymerization.
The copolymerization of cyclic ether with acetal discussed previously produces
commercial important product (Sect. 11.3.3). Copolymerization is used exten-
sively for silicone polymers. Varying amounts of substituents such as phenyl or
vinyl are introduced into the basic poly(dimethyl siloxane) structure to modify
properties of the final product. Phenyl groups improve the low-temperature flex-
ibility of silicone polymers by decreasing their low-temperature crystallinity. Their
high-temperature performance and miscibility with organic solvents are also
improved. Vinyl groups allow more efficient crosslinking by either hydrosilation
or peroxides.
A wide range of different block copolymers has been synthesized by using the
sequential ring-opening polymerization. These include various copolymers made
from two different cyclic monomers containing the same functional group such as
two cycloalkenes, cyclic ethers, lactams, lactones, etc. There are very few reports
of block copolymers of lactams or cyclic siloxanes produced by sequential addi-
tion which may be due to the exchange reactions occurred in the polymerization.
Furthermore, many block copolymers can be obtained by sequential polymer-
ization of a cyclic monomer and an alkene monomer such as the combination of
methyl methacrylate with epoxide, polystyrene with ethylene oxide or hexamethyl
cyclotrisiloxane, etc. Actually, it is easier to obtain block copolymers from these
combinations than to obtain the corresponding statistical copolymers. Synthesis of
a statistical copolymer requires that various homo- and cross-propagation rates are
similar. Synthesis of a block copolymer by sequential addition requires that the
system be living with one or the other and the cross-propagation proceeding at a
reasonable rate. Thus, anionic copolymerization of styrene with ethylene oxide
does not occur because the addition of alkoxide ion to the carbon–carbon double
bond and homopropagation of polystyryl anion are less favored as compared to the
addition of polystyryl anion to ethylene oxide and homopropagation of alkoxide
anion. However, block copolymerization is easily achieved by adding ethylene
oxide to living polystyrene. Triblock polymers can be obtained in some system
using appropriate difunctional initiators.
11.7 Problems
1. Discuss why cyclic alkane monomer does not undergo ring-opening poly-
merization as readily as cyclic ether or cyclic amide from the aspects of
thermodynamic and kinetic point of view. Write out the reaction mechanism
to explain your answers.
2. Please compare and discuss the polymerizability of following two monomers
to undergo ring-opening polymerization.
O O
I II
3. Compare and discuss the differences in rate of polymerization and degree of
polymerization among free radical polymerization, step polymerization and
ring-opening polymerization.
4. Give structures of cyclic monomers, initiators, and reaction conditions that
might be used to prepare the following polymers:
O CH3 O
(a) NHCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 C (b) CCH2CO
CH3
CH3
(c) O (d) Si O
CH3
H H
(e) OCH2CH2OCH 2 (f)
C C CH 2CH 2
5. Please explain why anionic polymerization of propylene oxide is usually
limited to produce a relatively low molecular weight polymer.
6. The molecular weight of ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide ini-
tiated by sodium methoxide in alcohol is limited to 10,000. Please explain
why. How would you change the polymerization condition to obtain the
polymer to have molecular weight higher than 50,000?
7. Please explain the following observations:
(a) A small amount of epichlorohydrin greatly increases the rate of the
polymerization of tetrahydrofuran by BF3 even though epichlorohydrin
is much less basic than tetrahydrofuran.
(b) The addition of small amounts of water to the polymerization of oxetane
by BF3 increases the polymerization rate but decreases the degree of
polymerization.
8. What are the roles of an acylating agent and activated monomer in the anionic
polymerization of lactams?
11.7 Problems 299
9. The monomer reactivity ratios of anionic copolymerization (using an acety-

lated initiator) of e-caprolactam (M1) and a-pyrrolidinone (M2) can be cal-
culated using standard copolymerization equation to be r1 = 0.75 and
r2 = 5.0 with the conclusion that e-caprolactam is eight times more reactive
than a-pyrrolidinone. However, the experimental data show reversed reac-
tivity behavior. Please propose the reaction mechanism to explain the obser-
vation [10].
10. Please explain why the epoxy resin usually exhibits better adhesive strength
than acrylate resin. The epoxy resin usually made from bisphenol A with
epichlorohydrin in presence of base. Please write the chemical reaction
involved in this synthesis. Explain why the oxirane ring of epoxy resin can be
opened either by acid or base and write out their reaction mechanisms.
References
1. M. P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry, 3rd edn. (Chapter 10) (Oxford University Press, Oxford,
1999)
2. G. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, 4th edn. (Chapters 2 and 7) (Wiley, New York, 2004)
3. G.W. Gee, W.C.E. Higginson, K.J. Taylor, M.W. Trenholme, J. Chem. Soc. 4298 (1961)
4. J.G. Bots, L. van der Does, A. Bantjes, J. Boersma, Makromol. Chem. 188, 1665 (1987)
5. S. Penczek, S. Slomkowski, Chapter 47 and Chapter 50 in Comprehesive polymer science,
vol. 3, ed. by G.C. Eastmond, A. Ledwith, S. Russo, P. Sigwalt (Pergamon Press, London,
1989)
6. H. Lee, K. Neville, Handbook of Epoxy Resins (McGraw Hill, New York, 1972)
7. C.A. May, Y. Tanaka, Epoxy Resins (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1973)
8. C.L. Lee, O.K. Johannson, J. Polym. Sci. A-1(4), 3013 (1966)
9. C.L. Lee, O.K. Johannson, J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 14, 729 (1976)
10. S. Bar-Zakay, M. Levy, D. Vofsi, J. Polym. Sci., A-1(5), 965 (1967)
Index
A Cationic polymerization
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) alkene monomer, 286
plastics, 44, 179 carbonyl monomer, 213, 215
Active material, 76 chain transfer reaction, 151, 197
Additive co-initiator, 193
lubricant, 85, 287 commercial applications, 290
odorant, 85 friedel-crafts catalyst, 187
pigment, 85 initiators, 185
plasticizer, 85 kinetic chain length, 198
Anionic copolymerization, 236, 237, 259, 296, kinetics, 283
297 rate constant, 155, 205
Anionic polymerization reaction mechanisms, 191
carbonyl monomer, 213, 215 termination reaction, 162
chain transfer, 45, 197, 276, 280, 283 Cationic polymerization of epoxides
initiator, 143, 170, 193, 198, 200, 201, 204, initiation, 277, 278, 280
208, 209, 211, 214, 215, 273 propagation, 278, 279, 280
kinetics, 196, 267 termination and transfer processes, 280
rate constant, 192 Chain copolymerization, 233, 236,
reaction mechanisms, 191, 211, 231, 299 297
termination, 162, 188, 199, 200, 201, 203, Chain polymerization
204, 271, 285 free radical, 3, 9, 138, 150
Anionic polymerization of epoxides ionic, 3, 187, 276
chain transfer to monomer, 276 Chemical property
degree of polymerization, 2, 171, 197, 198, chemical permeation, 61
274, 284, 285 chemical resistance, 61
exchange reaction, 274 moisture permeation, 62, 63
kinetics, 196, 204 moisture resistance, 62
reaction mechanisms, 191, 201, 211, 231, Chemical structure analysis by
299 chemical reaction method, 90
Arrhenius equation, 47, 169 electron spin resonance, 98
infrared spectroscopy (IR), 90–92
mass spectroscopy of MALDI-TOF MS,
B 18, 19
Bond strength, 70 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
(NMR), 95, 96, 98
Raman spectroscopy, 92, 93
C UV-visible spectroscopy, 93
Cardo polymer, 83, 87 Chromophores, 82, 93
Cationic copolymerization, 236, 237, 256–259, Cohesive energy density, 12
296 Commercial copolymers, 263

Lecture Notes in Chemistry 82, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-38730-2,
302 Index
Coordination polymerization, 1, 32, 159, 185, micelle, 152

219, 222, 232 surfactant, 152
Copolymer End-capping polymerization, 216
alternating, 3 Epoxy resin, 4, 7, 43, 85, 106, 116, 119, 267,
azeotropic, 239, 264 288, 299
block, 34, 35, 37, 101, 128, 297 Ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM,EPR),
graft, 3, 5, 234 220
ideal, 237–239, 242, 249 Ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer(EPDM),
random, 3, 33, 34, 127 220
statistical, 54, 297
Copolymerization (composition) equation,
235–238 F
Copolymerization involving dienes, 260 Fiber, 35, 66, 109, 166, 181
Cost of common polymers, 182 Flammability test
Cyanate ester, 85, 86 limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, 108
Cycloaddition, 84 Flory-Fox equation, 15
Free radical copolymerization
copolymerization behavior, 237
D effect of reaction conditions, 241
Degree of polymerization, 7, 111, 121, 125, kinetics, 234
158, 162, 168, 169, 171, 182, 183, 197, rate constants, 234, 235, 237, 242
237, 260, 261, 274, 275, 285, 289, 290, rate of polymerization, 253
294, 298 reactivity and composition, 243
Dendrimer Free radical initiator
molecular weight, 133 azo compound, 142
synthesis, 130, 131, 133 electrochemical, 149
Dipole moment, 77, 192 half life, 144
peroxide, 142, 148
photo, 142
E promoter, 147
Elastomer, 44, 54, 56, 66, 67, 87, 263 redox, 142, 147
Electrical property of polymer thermal, 142, 144
arc resistance, 72
bipolaron, 76
conductivity, 75 G
dielectric constant, 73 Group molar attraction constants, 13
dielectric permittivity, 73 Group transfer polymerization (GTP), 209,
dielectric strength, 72, 73 211, 212
dissipation factor, 72, 73
insulation, 73
polaron, 75 H
resistivity, 72 Hammett sigma-rho (qr)
solitons, 74 relationship, 256
surface resistivity, 72 Heterogeneous ziegler-natta polymerization
volume resistivity, 73 catalysts, 219–222
Electronic application molecular weight distribution, 224
battery, 73 reaction mechanisms, 222, 224
light emitting diode, 73 Homogeneous ziegler-natta polymerization
solar cell, 73 metallocene, 225
transistor, 73 methylalumoxanes(MAO), 225
Electro-optic coefficient, 80 zirconocene, 227
Electro-optic effects, 78 Hydrodynamic volume, 14, 15, 50
Emulsion polymerization Hyperbranched copolymer, 133, 134
critical micelle concentration, 151 Hyperpolarizability, 77
Index 303
I elongation, 69, 85
Inhibitor, 182 tensile modulus, 68, 69
Interaction parameter, 12, 34 tensile strength, 67, 69
Inter-molecular interaction, 27 Melamine-formaldehyde, 112
Intra-molecular interaction, 15 Metathesis polymerization, 35, 230, 231
Ionic chain polymerization, 3, 138, 187, 276 Molecular weight
Ionomers, 28 definition, 7
dispersity, 9
distribution, 2, 7, 19, 21, 122, 176, 275,
K 280, 289, 291, 294
Kevlar, 38 number average, 2, 10, 17, 43, 179, 216,
Kinetics of free radical chain polymerization 284
1,3-interaction, 175 weight average, 2, 19, 20, 50
activation energy, 169 Monomer, definition of, 3, 7
arrhenius equation, 169 Monomer reactivity ratio, 241–243, 251
average of kinetic chain length, 157 Morphology, 1, 9, 27, 35, 38, 77, 87, 89, 100,
chain transfer reactions, 158 102
degree of polymerization, 158 Morphology analysis by
frequency factor, 169 atomic force microscopy (AFM), 89, 100,
monomer reactivity, 173 103
polymerization of dienes, 165 scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 89
rate constant, 155–157 small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), 35
rate of polymerization, 155–157 transmission of electron microscopy
rate of polymerization equation, 156 (TEM), 35, 36, 89, 100
Kivelson mechanism, 74
N
L Nadimide, 85
Latex, 139, 263 Neoprene, 1, 52
Living polymerization Norbornene polymer, 220
atom transfer radical polymerization Nylon 66, 51, 69, 113, 119
(ATRP), 9, 163–165
living radical polymerization, 162, 165
nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), O
9, 164 Oligomer, definition, 2, 7, 283
reversible addition-fragmentation chain Optical device
transfer polymerization (RAFT), 164, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, 81, 82
165 switch, 81, 82
waveguide, 81
Optical harmonic generation
M second, 80, 82
Maleimide, 85 third, 82
Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation, 16, 20 Optical Kerr effect, 82
Mass spectroscopy (MS), 16, 18, 19 Optical property of polymer
Mayo Equation, 197 absorption, 77, 78
Mean-square average distance, 15 band gap, 77, 79
Measurement of molecular weight highest occupied molecular orbital
acid number, 17 (HOMO), 79
end group analysis, 16, 17 linear, 77, 78
gel permeation chromatography, 22, 23 lowest unoccupied molecular orbital
light scattering, 19–21 (LUMO), 79
membrane osmometry, 17 maximum absorption wavelength, 77
viscosity, 20 nonlinear, 77
Mechanical properties reflection, 76, 77
304 Index
Optical property of polymer (cont.) conjugated, 73, 74, 77, 95, 133, 166
refractive index, 76–78 crosslinked, 4, 27, 43, 63, 67, 124, 288
scattering, 77, 80 crystallinity, 27, 31, 37, 68, 263, 297
transmission, 76, 77, 82 definition, 1, 2, 7
transparency, 80 entanglement, 21, 42, 50, 130
flow, 1, 27, 43, 46, 48, 52
ladder, 3, 4, 70
P liquid crystalline, 27, 38, 42, 51, 58
Passive material, 76 molecular structure, 27, 76
Phase diagram of block copolymer, 34 molecular weight, 3, 9, 16, 23, 43, 111,
Phenol-formaldehyde, 1, 6, 112 113, 118, 119, 181, 275, 285
Phenylethynyl oligomer, 84 morphology, 27, 75, 89, 100
Plastic, 7, 8, 67, 139, 179, 220, 229 nomenclature, 4, 5
Polarizability, 19, 77, 79 recycling, 7
Polarization, 29, 77, 80, 81 self assembly, 34, 37
Polarizer, 81 size, 2, 9, 16, 116, 178, 286, 294
Polyacetylene, 1, 73, 75, 221 solution, 9, 12, 22, 46, 279
Polyacrylonitrile, 52, 109, 181 stereoregular, 1, 29, 227
Poly(alpha) olefin, 29 type of, 3, 63, 111, 280
Polyamide, 4, 14, 38, 115, 128, 112 Polymerization
Polyaniline, 74 chain, 3, 4, 137, 142, 150, 153, 155, 185,
Polybenzimidazole, 70, 83 187, 274
Polybutadiene step, 111, 117, 119, 124, 129
1,2-, 29, 57 Polymerization of cyclic acetals
cis-1,4-, 53, 188, 220 commercial applications, 287
trans-1,4-, 53, 220 kinetic characteristics, 283
Poly(1-butene), 32, 220 thermodynamic characteristics, 285
Polycarbonate, 5–7, 68, 98, 108 Polymerization of cyclosiloxanes, 294
Polycyanoacrylate, 188 Polymerization of lactams
Poly(1,3-cyclo-pentenylenevinylene), 220 anionic polymerization, 291
Poly(dimethyl siloxane), 52, 297 cationic polymerization, 288
Polyether, 43, 112, 116, 128, 131, 287 hydrolytic polymerization, 290
Polyethylene, 7, 24, 27, 31, 50–53, 61, 63, 66, molecular weight distribution, 294
68, 73, 76, 158, 178, 179, 230, 232, 263 reactivity of lactam, 294
Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxy thiophene), 74 Poly(methyl methacrylate), 5, 26, 29, 32, 66,
Poly(ethylene oxide), 51, 53, 108 76, 96, 98, 104, 151, 154
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET, 6 Poly(N-vinyl-carbazole), 76
Poly(glycolic acid), 65 Polyoctenamer, 220
Poly(3-hexyl thiophene), 19, 35, 93, 231, 232 Polyoxazole, 70
Polyimide, 82, 91 Poly(oxy methylene), 108
Polyisoindigo, 76 Polypeptide, 65
Polyisoprene Polyphenyl esters, 114
cis-1,4, 53, 167, 188 Poly(phenylene sulfide), 70
trans-1,4, 53, 167 Poly(phenylene vinylene), 11
Poly(lactic acid), 65 Polyphosphazene, 62, 268
Poly(L-propylene oxide), 29, 30 Poly(p-phenylene), 70, 74, 117
Polymer Polypropylene, 24, 32, 51–53, 98, 159, 221,
amorphous, 31, 32, 43, 63, 67, 76 225, 228, 230
biodegradable, 64, 65 Polypyrrol, 74
blend, 44, 45, 54, 103, 233 Polyquinoxaline, 70, 84
chemical structure, 1, 2, 6, 47, 48, 76, 78, Poly(SA-HAD anhydride), 65
89, 90, 138 Polysiloxane, 4, 53, 108, 268, 294, 296
configuration, 27–30, 75 Polystyrene, 5, 11, 13, 22, 23, 25, 29, 32, 43,
conformation, 12, 27, 33, 51, 75, 76, 93 44, 52, 54, 63, 66, 72, 76, 92, 93, 104,
Index 305
109, 141, 151, 159, 179, 217, 229, 263, nucleophilic substitution, 116
297 Ring-opening polymerization
Poly(styrene)-b-poly (2-vinylpyridine), 23 aziridene, 268
Polysulfide, 112 copolymerization, 287, 296, 297
Polysulfonamides, 114 cyclic acetals, 282, 283
Polysulfone, 112 cyclic esters, 267
Poly(sulfur nitride), 73, 74 cyclic ethers, 267, 271, 272
Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) PTFE, 53, 181, 182 cyclosiloxanes, 294
Polythiadiazole, 70 lactam, 268, 288, 290–294
Polyurea, 112, 114 mechanisms and kinetics, 267, 270
Polyurethane, 43, 44, 72, 116, 127, 128, 287 reactivity of cyclic monomers, 267
Poly(vinyl acetate), 6, 109, 139, 183
Poly(vinyl alcohol), 61, 63, 108, 140, 183
Poly(vinyl chloride), 4, 31, 52, 57, 61, 63, 72, S
139, 151, 180 Shear
Poly(vinylidene fluoride), 62, 181 force, 38, 46, 49
Poly(e-caprolactone), 65 thickening, 48, 49
Processability of polymer, 1, 83 thinning, 48–50
Solubility parameter, 12, 14
Step polymerization
Q copolymerization, 127
Q-e scheme, 251, 252 degree of polymerization, 111, 121, 125
molecular weight control, 119
molecular weight distribution, 122
R network formation, 124
Radical chain polymerization phase transfer reaction, 129
alkene monomer, 297 reaction kinetics, 117
autoacceleration, 150, 158 reaction mechanisms, 111
carbonyl monomer, 215, 216 reactions, 111, 114, 117, 129
chain transfer reaction, 151, 158 techniques, 129
chemical structure effect of monomer, 138 Stereo isomers
inhibitors, 161 atactic, 28
initiators, 142, 147 isotactic, 28
molecular weight distribution, 158, 176, syndiotactic, 28
177 Stereo-specificity, 219, 222
monomer reactivity, 173 Structural arrangement of polymer
reaction mechanism, 190 aregic, 140
structural arrangement of polymer, 138 head-to-head, 140, 141
telomerization, 161 head-to-tail, 140, 141
temperature effect, 168, 169, 171 isoregic, 140
Radius of gyration, 14, 15 syndioregic, 140
Reaction mechanism of free radical tail-to-tail, 140
polymerization Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), 188, 263
coupling, 153, 154, 158, 161 Susceptibility, 78, 79, 82, 216
disproportionation, 153, 154, 158 Suzuki coupling reaction, 133
initiation, 153, 155, 163 Swelling, 43, 61
propagation, 153–157, 162, 163
termination, 154–158, 161
Reaction mechanisms of step polymerization T
aromatic electrophilic-substitution, 117 Techniques of free radical chain
carbonyl addition - elimination, 113 polymerization
carbonyl addition - substitution, 115 bulk polymerization, 150
double bond addition, 116 emulsion, 150, 151
free radical coupling, 117 solution, 150, 151
306 Index
suspension, 150, 151 enthalpy, 172, 173

Telechelic polymer, definition, 2, 128, 281 entropy, 172, 173, 176
Temperature effect of the free radical free energy, 172
polymerization monomer reactivity, 173
activation energy and frequency factor, 169 Thermoplastic, 43, 44, 52, 54, 67, 263, 287
degree of polymerization, 171 Thermoset, 43, 106, 116
rate of polymerization, 170 Theta (h) temperature (or Flory temperature),
Thermal analysis by 15
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thixotropic, 49
104, 106
differential thermal analysis (DTA), 104,
106 U
dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), 104, Urea-formaldehyde, 112
106
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 104,
107 V
thermomechanical analysis (TMA), 104, van’t Hoff equation, 18
106 Viscoelastic properties of polymer, 46
Thermal properties Viscometer
combustion, 71, 72 cone-plate rotational, 22
decomposition temperature, 70, 71 ubbelohde, 22
enthalpy, 53
entropy, 53
flammability, 104, 108 W
gibbs free energy, 53 Weather resistance, 61
glass transition temperature, 104, 106 Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) equation, 47
melting temperature, 67, 68, 70
oxidative reaction, 71
pyrolysis, 71, 72 Z
stability, 68, 104 Ziegler-natta copolymerization, 229, 230
thermo-oxidative, 71 Ziegler-natta polymerization
weight loss, 71, 107 heterogeneous, 219
Thermodynamics of free radical homogeneous, 225
polymerization Zimm plots, 20
ceiling temperature, 175, 176

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Lecture Notes In Chemistry 82

For further volumes:

The series Lecture Notes in Chemistry (LNC) reports new developments in

ISSN 0342-4901 ISSN 2192-6603 (electronic)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013941494

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Printed on acid-free paper

Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)

2 Polymer Size and Polymer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3 Structure Morphology Flow of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4 Chemical and Physical Properties of Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

4.5 Optical Property of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

5 Characterization of Polymer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 89

6 Step Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 111

6.6 Step Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

7 Radical Chain Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 137

7.9 Thermodynamics of Free Radical Polymerization . . . . ...... 172

8 Ionic Chain Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

9 Coordination Polymerization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

9.4 Metathesis Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

10 Chain Copolymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 233

11 Ring-Opening Polymerization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

W.-F. Su, Principles of Polymer Design and Synthesis, 1

Fig. 1.1 Chemical structures

by their flow characteristics in neat form or in solution which affects by their

Fig. 1.2 Possible

1.1 Types of Polymers

1.2 Types of Polymerization

The types of polymerizations are generally classified into chain polymerization

coordinating chain polymerization. Their principles will be addressed in the

1.3 Nomenclature of Polymers

The nomenclature of polymers [1, 3] is usually based on the source of monomer,

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) polymer

Fig. 1.4 Chemical structures of polycarbonate and epoxy resin

Table 1.2 Representative polymers used in modern society

Table 1.3 Recycling codes of plastics [3]

conveniently. For example, IUPAC name for polycarbonate is poly(oxy carbonyl

1.4 Polymer Recycling

Polymer recycling [3] is an important matter being carried out worldwide to

1. Write a concise definition of each term listed below, using examples as

2.1 The Molecular Weight of Polymer

The molecular weight of polymer determines the mechanical properties of poly-

W.-F. Su, Principles of Polymer Design and Synthesis, 9

Fig. 2.1 Dependence of

transfer polymerization (RAFT). The chemistry of different polymerization reac-

weight average molecular weights are equal when a is unity. M v is like M

A measure of the polydispersity in a polymer is defined as M w divided over M n

Fig. 2.2 Distribution of

2.2 Polymer Solutions

DHmix ¼ Vmix ðd1 d2 Þ2 ;1 ;2 ð2:9Þ

 the solvent, d1 can be calculated directly from the latent

Table 2.1 Representative group molar attraction constants [3, 4]

Because of Brownian motion, molecules are changing shape continuously.

Fig. 2.3 Schematic

s2 ¼ s20 a2 ð2:15Þ

The unperturbed dimension refers to the size of the macromolecule exclusive of

approximately 3 9 1024. Substituting r0‘

2.3 Measurement of Molecular Weight

Many techniques have been developed to determine the molecular weight of

the solvent, d1 can be calculated directly from the latent