Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into the...

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching

The skeletal structure of polymers synthesized via radical polymerization is always branched. For example, the polymerization of ethylene by radical polymerization results in a low-density grade of polyethylene with a heavily branched skeletal structure. Here, the radical site abstracts hydrogen from the growing chain, and the radical site shifts from the end (a primary carbon center) to anywhere within the growing chain (a secondary carbon center). Consequently, the part of the chain from the...

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the generated carbocation,...

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael acceptor.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Protective effect of <i>Peucedanum praeruptorum</i> Dunn extract on oxidative damage of LLC‑PK1 cells induced by H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>.

Experimental and therapeutic medicine·2023

Same author

Electromagnetic forces in nanoparticles made of multilayer hyperbolic metamaterials.

Nanotechnology·2022

Same author

Enhancement in Power Conversion Efficiency of GaAs Solar Cells by Utilizing Gold Nanostar Film for Light-Trapping.

Frontiers in chemistry·2019

Same author

Direct and Regioselective C-H Oxidative Difluoromethylation of Heteroarenes.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2018

Same author

Silver-mediated oxidative C-H difluoromethylation of phenanthridines and 1,10-phenanthrolines.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2017

Same author

Optical properties of Ag nanoparticle-polymer composite film based on two-dimensional Au nanoparticle array film.

Nanoscale research letters·2014

Same journal

Tension on dsDNA bound to ssDNA-RecA filaments may play an important role in driving efficient and accurate homology recognition and strand exchange.

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

Same journal

Publisher's Note: Amplitude-phase coupling drives chimera states in globally coupled laser networks [Phys. Rev. E 91, 040901(R) (2015)].

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

Same journal

Erratum: Shapes of sedimenting soft elastic capsules in a viscous fluid [Phys. Rev. E 92, 033003 (2015)].

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

Same journal

Erratum: Attenuation of excitation decay rate due to collective effect [Phys. Rev. E 90, 022142 (2014)].

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

Same journal

Publisher's Note: Role of connectivity and fluctuations in the nucleation of calcium waves in cardiac cells [Phys. Rev. E 92, 052715 (2015)].

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

Same journal

Publisher's Note: Lattice Boltzmann approach for complex nonequilibrium flows [Phys. Rev. E 92, 043308 (2015)].

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2016

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Published on: April 22, 2016

Polymer growth through radical polymerization and termination.

Shun-You Yang¹, Sheng-Qing Zhu, Jianhong Ke

¹College of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325027, China.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

|November 13, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a polymer growth model where radicals propagate or terminate. The model predicts that inert polymers eventually dominate, with their size distribution depending on propagation and termination rates.

More Related Videos

3D Printing and In Situ Surface Modification via Type I Photoinitiated Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

3D Printing and In Situ Surface Modification via Type I Photoinitiated Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

Published on: February 18, 2022

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Published on: April 22, 2016

3D Printing and In Situ Surface Modification via Type I Photoinitiated Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

3D Printing and In Situ Surface Modification via Type I Photoinitiated Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization

Published on: February 18, 2022

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

Area of Science:

Polymer Chemistry
Chemical Kinetics

Background:

Polymerization involves propagating radicals that can either grow or terminate.
Understanding the kinetics and size distribution of polymers is crucial in polymer science.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and analyze a polymer growth model considering propagation and termination processes.
To investigate the kinetics and size distribution of polymers under varying rate constants.

Main Methods:

Analytical investigation using the rate-equation approach.
Modeling polymer growth with length-independent propagation and termination rates.

Main Results:

Propagating radicals are eventually exhausted, leaving inert polymers.
Propagating radical size distribution follows a Poisson distribution.
Inert polymer size distribution depends on the ratio of propagation (J1) to termination (J2) rate constants, exhibiting power-law, Poisson-like, or complex multi-peak forms.

Conclusions:

The polymer growth model provides insights into the final state of polymer systems.
The size distribution of inert polymers is highly sensitive to the relative rates of propagation and termination.
The model's predictions offer a framework for understanding polymer formation kinetics.