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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes

Published on: December 24, 2014

Size-dependent transitions in grafted polymer brushes.

Marian Manciu¹, Courtney Bosse, Eli Ruckenstein

¹Physics Department, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, USA. mmanciu@utep.edu

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B

|July 25, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Infinite polymer chains with segment-surface interactions either collapse or stretch. Finite chains exhibit transitions between collapsed "trains" and stretched "tails" based on interaction strength and chain length.

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Area of Science:

Polymer Physics
Surface Science
Statistical Mechanics

Background:

Grafted polymer brushes are crucial in various applications, from coatings to biomaterials.
Understanding their conformational behavior under different interactions is key to controlling their properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To theoretically investigate the conformational states of grafted polymer brushes.
To determine the conditions leading to collapsed or stretched configurations.

Main Methods:

Calculation of the partition function for a grafted polymer brush.
Derivation of a system of equations for the most likely configuration.
Analysis of solutions for both infinite and finite polymer chains.

Main Results:

Infinite chains with non-vanishing segment-surface interactions do not have a stable intermediate configuration.
Finite chains exhibit a transition from loops to trains (collapse) with attractive interactions.
Finite chains show a transition from loops to tails (stretching) with repulsive interactions.

Conclusions:

The behavior of grafted polymer brushes is highly dependent on segment-surface interactions.
Transitions to collapsed or stretched states are influenced by chain length, segment-segment interactions, segment-solvent interactions, and grafting density.