ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION A branched polymer is comprised of molecules with more than one backbone chain (i.e., it is a nonlinear polymers) [1]. It is characterized by the presence of branch points (junction points): atoms or a small group from which more than two long chains emanate. The branch chain is attached to the main chain with one of its chain ends at a branch point. A branched polymer is also characterized by the presence of more than two end groups. A graft polymer can be considered as a type of branched polymer. In contrast to a branched polymer, a graft polymer is a polymer comprising molecules with one or more species of block connected to the main chain as side chains, these side chains having constitutional or configurational features that differ from those of the main chain (see Chap. 14) [2]. In a branched polymer the side chain (branch chain) has the same constitutional and configuration features as the main backbone chain. A star-branched polymer consists of several linear chains linked together at one end of each chain by a single branch or junction point [1-4].
