BUILDUP OF POLYMER NETWORKS BY INITIATED POLYREACTIONS .5. COMPARISON OF FRAGMENT VS CLUSTER APPROACHES TO DERIVE POSTGEL PARAMETERS FOR POSTETHERIFICATION IN DIAMINE-DIEPOXIDE CURING

The network build-up by polyetherification of a diepoxide released by hydroxyl groups formed in the primary reaction with a diamine was treated by two different methods: i) a rigorous approach in which kinetically generated clusters are statistically combined (cluster approach), and ii) an approximate calculation in which kinetically generated fragments are statistically combined (fragment approach). The cluster approach was used to calculate pregel parameters in part 2 of the series (K. Dusek, Polym. Bull. 13,321,1985) and postgel parameters in part 4 of the series (K. Dusek et al., Polym.Bull. 18,209,1987). A comparison with the fragment approach for the pregel stage was provided in part 3 of the serie (R.J.J. Williams et al., Polym.Bull. 17,515,1987). The same comparison for the postgel stage is now provided. Very close results are found when using both methods for the calculation of the sol fraction and the concentration of elastically active network chains.