Kinetics of polymerization rate based on the dependence of termination rate on chain length

When the structure of a primary radical resembles that of the chain end of the polymer radical, the rate of the primary radical termination is approximately the same as the termination rate between the oligomer radical and the polymer radical. The rate constant of termination between polymer radicals of chain length n and s , which involve the primary radicals, is k t , ns = const.( ns ) − a . In the polymerization of methacrylonitrile initiated by 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile in dimethylformamide at 60.0°C, the value of a is found to be 0.091. From data obtained previously in the bulk polymerization of styrene initiated by 1‐azobis‐2‐phenylethane at 60.0°C, the value of a is found to be 0.167. Because such a values are so large that they are not estimated by the excluded volume, the termination rates are discussed by adding the dependence of the diffusion of the segments to that for chain length.