Introduction to radical (Co)polymerisation

This chapter describes the basics of free radical polymerisation in a concise way with an emphasis on development of molecular mass and rate of polymerisation. It includes some important new insights on transfer to polymer reactions because of their relevance to emulsion polymerisation. The mechanism of free radical polymerisation belongs to the class of so-called chain reactions. During the formation of a polymer chain a number of subsequent kinetic events take place: radical formation, initiation, propagation and termination. The chapter concludes with a discussion of controlled radical polymerisation. This edition first published 2013