Molecular structural evolution in crosslinking low density polyethylene-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate systems

A Monte Carlo simulation algorithm for investigating the structural growth in a polymer-polyfunctional monomer system and the method to obtain the req uired simulation parameters are proposed. Combining the Monte Carlo samplin g technique and swell ratio experiments, the molecular structural evolution in crosslinking LDPE-TMPTMA systems is explored. The crosslinking level ca n be effectively promoted at high TMPTMA concentrations and at high cure te mperatures. With increasing overall crosslinking density, gelation occurs a t lower degree of conversions; the gel crosslinking density increases; the TMPTMA densities in both sol and gel fractions also increase; while the sol polymer molecular weights and the sol crosslinking density decrease. The i mplications of the simulated results to the processing of LDPE-TMPTMA compo unds are also discussed.