In: Chemistry
6. I suggest using Excel to answer this question. Consider the following distribution of polymer chains:
5 chains of degree of polymerization 10
25 chains of degree of polymerization 100
50 chains of degree of polymerization 500
30 chains of degree of polymerization 1000
10 chains of degree of polymerization 5000
5 chains of degree of polymerization 50,000
(a) Calculate the number and weight average degree of polymerization and polydispersity of this collection of polymer chains.
(b) If these chains are poly(methyl methacrylate) what would be the corresponding number and weight average molecular weights (ignore end group effects)? Hint: the MW of the repeat unit is 100 g/mol.
(c) Add five more chain of degree of polymerization 10 to the above distribution. Comment on the relative effect that this has on the calculated number and weight average molecular weights.