resumo
- A general kinetic method, based upon population balances of generating functions, is applied to the prediction of the microstructure and molecular size of non-linear terpolymers obtained through the coordination polymerization of two monovinyl monomers and a non-conjugated diene. A rather complex kinetic scheme involving crosslinking and long-chain branching is considered. It is shown that even in these conditions it is possible to carry out the prediction of molecular size and mass distributions, sequence size distributions, and z-average mean-square radius of gyration of the polymers. The influence of some kinetic parameters on the properties of the products is studied, considering a homogeneous operation in a semi-batch reactor. The used simulation method is able to predict these properties before and after gelation whenever it occurs.