Indexed on: 06 Nov '14Published on: 06 Nov '14Published in: Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A
The radical polymerization of acetylene monomers is studied via electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, calorimetry, chromatography, and gravimetry within a wide range of temperatures (77–340 K). A growing macroradical with an unpaired electron localized on the terminal moiety of a macromolecule is shown to lose its activity, due to the delocalization of electron over the conjugated system of double bonds after attaining the very short length of 5–10 monomer units. This explains the low conversion and molecular masses of the synthesized polymers.