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step growth
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Crystal growth
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step growth

chemistry
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Crystal growth
Crystal growth Different mechanisms of crystal growth.

Step-growth polymerization is a chemical process where polymers are formed by the stepwise combination of monomer molecules that contain reactive functional groups. Unlike chain-growth polymerization, which adds monomers to a growing chain, step-growth polymerization builds molecular weight gradually through random reactions between monomers.12345

Common examples of step-growth polymers include polyesters, epoxies, and polyurethanes, often formed by reactions between different types of monomers, such as acids and alcohols. These reactions can sometimes produce by-products like water, leading them to be called condensation reactions.34

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5 Britannica Sources
  1. chemistry of industrial polymers - Ionic initiation
  2. chemistry of industrial polymers - Organometallic catalysis
  3. surface coating - Step-growth and chain-growth polymers
  4. chemistry of industrial polymers - Step-growth polymerization
  5. chemistry of industrial polymers - Ring-opening metathesis polymerization

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