Polymerization in a Batch Reactor

step growth

free radical

initial concentration:

monomer

2

rate constant:

reaction

0.1

time

500

This Demonstration shows the number fraction

N

S

(blue) and weight fraction

W

S

(green) of polymer chains as functions of the number of monomer units for polymerization in a batch reactor. Select "step-growth" or "free-radical" polymerization with buttons, and use sliders to set reaction rate constants, initial concentrations and reaction time. The number average chain length

N

S

and the polydispersity are shown. Distributions are calculated using the Flory–Schulz model. The

x

and

y

axes ranges change as the parameters change, and the thick red tick marks on the purple axes show the plot ranges used.