Comonomer

In polymer chemistry, a comonomer refers to a polymerizable precursor to a copolymer aside from the principal monomer.

The distribution of comonomers is referred to as the "blockiness" of a copolymer.

The advantages to such copolymers has led to a focus on catalysts that facilitate the incorporation of these comonomers, e.g., constrained geometry complexes.

[1] Comonomers are often employed to improve the plastification of polymeric materials, i.e. the flexibility of the polymer.

Copolymers however have many applications/ They are produced by copolymerization of alkyl acrylates and one or more of the following comonomers methyl methacrylate, styrene, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and butadiene.