Modelling of crosslinking and cyclization in free‐radical copolymerization of vinyl/divinyl monomers

Abstract The Tobita‐Hamielec kinetic model of the crosslink density distribution is further elaborated and extended to incorporate divinyl loop formation. Divinyl loop formation, primary and secondary cyclization, and their effects on the elastically effective crosslink density distribution are extensively examined as a function of cyclization parameters and double bond reactivities. Under conditions of equal double bond rectivity and negligible cyclization, primary chains born at different conversions have the same crosslink density. The variance of the crosslink density distribution is mainly due to unequal reactivities of double bonds and secondary cyclization. Divinyl loop formation and primary cyclization contribute neither to gelation nor to network elasticity and have an insignificant effect on the variance of the crosslink density distribution.