Chapter 3: Study Guide and Self-Assessment
We now move on to consider how the different microstructures described in Chapter 1 are formed through a discussion of the fundamentals of polymer synthetic chemistry. This chapter describes the basic mechanisms by which practically all synthetic polymers are put together, followed in subsequent chapters by a discussion of the kinetics and statistics of some of these reactions. The goal is to show how the mechanism of polymerization affects molecular weight and microstructure of the polymer or copolymer that is being synthesized. This part of the book culminates in Chapter 6, where spectroscopic methods for characterizing polymer chain microstructure will be described.
Objectives
Upon successfully completing this chapter you should be able to:
- Understand the nature of step-growth polymerization and its dependence on the number and type of functional groups present in the monomers.
- Describe the four types of chain polymerizations (free radical, anionic cationic and coordination or catalyst mediated).
- Describe the main features of these polymerizations (initiation, propagation, termination and chain transfer).
- Understand the unique features that distinguish living polymerizations from ordinary addition or chain polymerizations.
- Have a broad feel for the main types of polymerization processes (bulk, solution, suspension, emulsion, etc.).
Self-Assessment Questions