REGULARITIES OF FORMATION OF MOLECULAR-MASS DISTRIBUTION IN BRANCHED RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL MONOMERS

Regularities of formation of molecular mass distribution in radical branched polymerization up to gelation of multifunctional monomers containing two or three allyl groups, two methacrylate groups, and several double bonds of different nature were studied. In the early stages polymerization yields linear molecules, whose length and the length of the kinetic chain depend on the nature of monomers and conditions of polymerization. In spite of difference in the chemical structure of the monomers, molecular mass distributions of the polymers prepared prior to the gel point show similar multimodal character The dimensions of the branched molecules corresponding to the maxima on gel permeation chromatograms are characteristic of these macromolecules (8, 18, and 47 nm) independent of the conditions of polymerization and nature of the multifunctional monomer. Average molecular masses and parameters of branching of the polymers were determined. The conversions of gelation and the conversions, below which the linear polymers are predominantly formed, were estimated, and their relationship with the degree of polymerization of the linear polymer was analyzed.