Equilibrium Distribution in Sizes for Linear Polymer Molecules

Abstract

Systems of linear polymer molecules are characterized by favorable heats of polymerization counterbalanced by unfavorable entropies of polymerization. Long chains are therefore formed and are stable at low temperatures while at sufficiently high temperature appreciable amounts of monomeric units split off. At any given temperature there exists a definite equilibrium distribution in sizes. This distribution is derived here by statistical methods and proves to be a very simple function of the heat of polymerization.