Radical Chain Polymerization

This lecture covers the mechanism, rate, molecular weight, and chain transfer in radical chain polymerization. It explains the differences between step and chain polymerization, the general mechanism, and considerations for polymerizability of vinyl monomers. The lecture also delves into electrical effects, inductive and resonance effects, and the structural arrangement of monomer units. It discusses the industrial importance of radical chain polymerization, initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Additionally, it explores the rate of polymerization, initiation methods, and the kinetics of thermally initiated radical polymerization. The lecture concludes with discussions on chain transfer, control of molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and the complexities involved in determining molecular weight in radical chain polymerization.