Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Copolymerization

Abstract

Various experimental and theoretical aspects of homopolymerization remain to be clarified. With regard to copolymerization the situation is further complicated by the greater number of reactants and rate constants (which is why simplified working methods are used which involve their ratios) and there are many competing kinetic models. Fifty years after the publication of the classical kinetic scheme for radical copolymerization, the factors that control the composition and comonomer sequence in copolymer chains are still being debated. In particular the effects of different solvents are problematic.