Polymerization Kinetics: Example Problems
Try to solve these problems before watching the solutions in the screencasts.
Example Problem 1
Given polymer molecular weight distribution, calculate average molecular weight.
- Calculate number-averaged molecular weight.
- Calculate weight-averaged molecular weight.
- If molecular weight of repeat unit is 56, calculate the degree of polymerization.
Example Problem 2
Using the steady-state approximation, find the rate of propagation for this polymerization reaction in terms of rate constants and concentrations of initiator and monomer. The reaction steps are:
\[I \rightarrow 2R_c \boldsymbol{\cdot} \]
\[R_c \boldsymbol{\cdot} + M \rightarrow RM_1 \boldsymbol{\cdot} \]
\[RM_1 \boldsymbol{\cdot} + M \rightarrow RM_2 \boldsymbol{\cdot} \]
\[R_j \boldsymbol{\cdot} + M \rightarrow R_{j+1} \boldsymbol{\cdot} \]
\[R_j + R_k \rightarrow P\]