Generalization of the Carothers equation for linear step growth polymers

Abstract In the synthesis of linear step-growth polymers molecular weight control is accomplished through the addition of a controlled amount of monomer carrying the functional group B in excess (B-B or H-B types). The Carothers equation is used to calculate average chain lengths. This paper extends...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Emilio Meaurio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78476-2
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Summary:Abstract In the synthesis of linear step-growth polymers molecular weight control is accomplished through the addition of a controlled amount of monomer carrying the functional group B in excess (B-B or H-B types). The Carothers equation is used to calculate average chain lengths. This paper extends the analysis of chain lengths to include the effect of monofunctional monomers carrying the limiting group A (H-A), allowing the systematic analysis of complex systems containing both bifunctional and monofunctional species of any type (A-A, B-B, H-B and H-A). This refinement is particularly relevant for the synthesis of oligomers from systems with complex feed composition.
ISSN:2045-2322