Monte Carlo Simulation of Hyperbranched Copolymerizations in the Presence of a Multifunctional Initiator

The Monte Carlo method is applied to simulate the copolymerization of a self-condensing vinyl monomer and a conventional vinyl monomer in the presence of a multifunctional initiator at equal rate constanits. With the increase of the molar ratio of self-condensing vinyl monomer in the monomer composition, the number average degree of polymerization decreases and the weight average degree of polymerization decreases at a lower conversion of double bonds but increases at a higher conversion of double bonds. The molecular weight distribution, PI, changes from 1.01 to 12.0 and the average degrec of branching, DB, increases from 0 to 0.456, We discovered that the addition of conventional vinyl monomer can modify the ratio of multi-arm hyperoranched macromolecules in the product, i.e., the content of macromolecules with core moiety will increase with the increase of the ratio of conventional vinyl monomer. The possibility of controlling PI and DB by changing the conversion and monomer compositions is demonstrated.