SOLVENT EFFECTS ON FREE-RADICAL POLYMERIZATION .4. MODELING OF HOMOPOLYMERIZATION

A new so-called reactant-solvent complex model is proposed to describe the effect of solvent on chain propagation in homopolymerization. It takes into account complex formation of both monomer and radical with solvent by equilibria. Evaluation methods presented permit to estimate the complex equilibrium constant K which is assumed to be nearly the same for both monomer and radical complexation and the relative reacti vity ratio r11' for complexed monomer. Measured reaction rates as func tion of monomer concentration are needed for calculations.