Molecular-weight changes in the degradation of long-chain polymers

The changes in molecular weight of a long-chain polymer (initially of arbitrary molecular-weight distribution) are studied when the main chain is subjected to random fracture, such as occurs when certain polymers are exposed to high-energy radiation. For several distributions studied, all trace of the initial distribution curve is lost after an average of some 3 to 8 main-chain fractures per molecule. For lower degrees of degradation the shape of the curve of weight average against degradation can provide information as to the initial weight average, z average, z + 1 average molecular weights. The initial number-average can be obtained by a method of extrapolation.