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The solid state polymerization of acrylamide and related monomers has been studied using the tools of electron spin resonance and optical microscopy. The data indicate that the reaction involves free radicals which do not terminate in the usual fashion. The reaction apparently involves a nucleation mechanism in which crystalline defects and the buildup and release of internal stresses affect the rate of reaction.
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Adler et al. (1960) studied this question.
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