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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,...

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, high molecular...

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.

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

The structure of percolated polymer systems: a computer simulation study.

Andrzej Sikorski¹, Piotr Polanowski, Piotr Adamczyk

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland. sikorski@chem.uw.edu.pl

Journal of Molecular Modeling

|February 9, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study explores polymer percolation using simulations. We found that polymer concentration significantly impacts cluster structure and scaling behavior in athermal systems.

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Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

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Published on: September 26, 2016

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Published on: June 20, 2019

Area of Science:

Polymer Physics
Statistical Mechanics
Computational Chemistry

Background:

Percolation theory describes the formation of connected clusters in random systems.
Understanding polymer solutions is crucial for materials science and chemical engineering.
Previous models often simplify polymer chain flexibility and interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the percolation process in a flexible polymer-solvent system.
To analyze the scaling behavior and structural properties of percolation clusters.
To model polymer solutions on a lattice using excluded volume interactions.

Main Methods:

Monte Carlo simulations utilizing a cooperative motion algorithm (CMA).
Modeling polymer chains as linear sequences of beads on a 2D triangular lattice.
Simulating an athermal system with excluded volume as the sole interaction potential.

Main Results:

Characterization of percolation cluster properties across all polymer concentrations.
Analysis of scaling behavior, revealing how clusters grow with increasing polymer density.
Detailed examination of the structure of percolation clusters formed.

Conclusions:

The cooperative motion algorithm (CMA) effectively simulates polymer percolation.
Polymer concentration is a key factor governing percolation cluster formation and scaling.
The athermal, excluded-volume model provides insights into fundamental polymer solution behavior.