Differences Between Step-growth Polymerization and Chain-growth Polymerization
This technique is usually compared with chain-growth polymerization to show its characteristics.
| Step-growth polymerization | Chain-growth polymerization |
|---|---|
| Growth throughout matrix | Growth by addition of monomer only at one end of chain |
| Rapid loss of monomer early in the reaction | Some monomer remains even at long reaction times |
| Similar steps repeated throughout reaction process | Different steps operate at different stages of mechanism (i.e. Initiation, propagation and termination) |
| Average molecular weight increases slowly at low conversion and high extents of reaction are required to obtain high chain length | Molar mass of backbone chain increases rapidly at early stage and remains approximately the same throughout the polymerization |
| Ends remain active (no termination) | Chains not active after termination |
| No initiator necessary | Initiator required |
Read more about this topic: Step-growth Polymerization
Famous quotes containing the words differences between and/or differences:
“The extent to which a parent is able to see a child’s world through that child’s eyes depends very much on the parent’s ability to appreciate the differences between herself and her child and to respect those differences. Your own children need you to accept them for who they are, not who you would like them to be.”
—Lawrence Balter (20th century)
“What strikes many twin researchers now is not how much identical twins are alike, but rather how different they are, given the same genetic makeup....Multiples don’t walk around in lockstep, talking in unison, thinking identical thoughts. The bond for normal twins, whether they are identical or fraternal, is based on how they, as individuals who are keenly aware of the differences between them, learn to relate to one another.”
—Pamela Patrick Novotny (20th century)