SPATIALLY INHOMOGENEOUS POLYMERIZATION IN UNSTIRRED BULK. BULK. /

A new experimental method for the formation of large polymers of very narrow molecular weight distribution is examined theoretically. The problem belongs to the general class of transport-reaction problems in multicomponent media. A comprehensive mathematical model of the phenomenon is presented. Noteworthy is the fact that diffusive fluxes are decomposed into two parts, pure diffusion and back-bulk-flow. It is shown that the full problem, which consists of an infinite number of coupled nonlinear differential equations, can be reduced to two such equations. Heat production is also considered in an auxiliary investigation. The appropriate differential equations are solved numerically and the physical significance of the results is discussed.