1 Answers
Chain transfer is a polymerization reaction by which the activity of a growing polymer chain is transferred to another molecule.
Chain transfer reactions reduce the average molecular weight of the final polymer. Chain transfer can be either introduced deliberately into a polymerization or it may be an unavoidable side-reaction with various components of the polymerization. Chain transfer reactions occur in most forms of addition polymerization including radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization, coordination polymerization, and cationic polymerization, as well as anionic polymerization.
Chain transfer : Chemical reaction occurring during a chain polymerization in which an active center is transferred from a growing macromolecule or oligomer molecule to another molecule or to another site on the same molecule.
Chain-transfer agent: Substance able to react with a chain carrier by a reaction in which the original chain carrier is deactivated and a new chain carrier is generated.