Number: 410/26/95
> reinitiated as project
2002-016-1-400
Title: Kinetics and Thermodynamics
of Polymerization
Coordinator(s): E.
Maréchal and S.
Penczek
Remarks: Collaboration with Commission IV.2
Objective:
Polymerization processes are responsible for polymer formation.
Their quantitative description requires that their kinetics and
thermodynamics are understood. Documents already published (e.g.
the Purple Book) do not cover even the most important basic terms.
The feasibility study has shown that there are a few hundred terms
that could be considered and, that approximately 75 are indispensable.
Some have been defined in the Gold Book. However, such definitions
describe terms traditionally used for chain reactions of low molecular
weight compounds (e.g. chlorination of methane). They cannot directly
be used for polymerization processes. During the last decades a
number of new classes of chain polymerizations, polycondensations,
and polyadditions have appeared. It is important to be able to describe
the new, emerging polymerizations and to define unambiguously terms
already in use in books and papers.
Progress:
The first draft, based on 95 terms agreed by the Commission in 1995,
was discussed further by the Commission in 1996, in Seoul. Second
and third drafts were prepared by the Working Party and the latter
was discussed in Geneva. The document was then distributed to 32
Outside Experts and 9 responded. The major discussion in Berlin
involved the terms "living polymerisation" and "controlled polymerisation".
The discussion resulted from the necessity to define newly emerging
processes, mostly with reversible transfers and the reversible deactivation
of species in radical and cationic polymerisations. A new version
will be sent again to members of the Working Party and then to members
of the Commission. The resulting draft will be published provisionally
in leading polymer journals and sent to Outside Experts for comment
during 2000.
Last update: 17 November 1999