KINETIC-THEORY OF ANIONIC COPOLYMERIZATION WITH CONSTANT MONOMER RATIO .2. MOLECULAR-WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

The kinetic differential equations for the anionic copolymerization with constant monomer ratio are treated by Laplace transformation and a graphical technique. A theoretical method is established by which all molecular parameters of the copolymers, such as the molecular distribution (MWD), the average molecular weight and the polydispersity, can be calculated from reaction rate constants, initial conditions and polymerization time. Three-dimensional plots obtained by numerical computation are presented to illustrate the influence of the reaction conditions on the MWD's of the copolymers.