Long chain molecules can be formed by the addition polymerisation of monomers of the general formula CH2 = CRX.
Where R may be H, CH3 or a halogen and X includes halogen, aryl, amide, ester, substituted ester, nitrite and carboxyl groups.
The polymerisation reaction can be represented as
пСНг = CRX -> [CH 2 — CRX},
and there are three quite distinct stages in addition polymerisation.
a) Initiation: Attack on the C=C bond by an initiating species.
b) Propagation: Growth of the polymer chain by successive addition of monomer
units.