Abstract
Dilatometry is the technique most often used for studying the kinetics of polymerization by following the volume change which accompanies polymer formation. In this work, the kinetics of the ring-opening bulk polymerization of ε-caprolactone at 140 ℃ using 0.1 mol% stannous hexoxide as a novel initiator were studied. After a prolonged induction period, the results showed a close adherence to first-order kinetics with respect to monomer with a first-order rate constant, k_1, of 4.00×10^<-2> min^<-1>.
