Carothers equation

In step-growth polymerization, the Carothers equation (or Carothers' equation) gives the degree of polymerization, Xn, for a given fractional monomer conversion, p. In step-growth polymerization, the Carothers equation (or Carothers' equation) gives the degree of polymerization, Xn, for a given fractional monomer conversion, p. There are several versions of this equation, proposed by Wallace Carothers who invented nylon in 1935. The simplest case refers to the formation of a strictly linear polymer by the reaction (usually by condensation) of two monomers in equimolar quantities. An example is the synthesis of nylon-6,6 whose formula is nfrom one mole of hexamethylenediamine, H2N(CH2)6NH2, and one mole of adipic acid, HOOC-(CH2)4-COOH. For this case