The issue of water as a chain terminator in the ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide
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In the ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide using sodium hydroxide (or potassium hydroxide) as a catalyst, acids (phosphoric acid, acetic acid, etc.) or water are often mentioned as chain terminators for this reaction. I would like to ask that if water is used as a chain terminator, what other conditions (such as temperature) are required after adding water in order to completely terminate the reaction? The reason for asking this question is that a product was manufactured using water as a chain terminator; after the catalyst was removed and the water was eliminated, the residual ethylene oxide in the product gradually increased over time.
Hasn’t everyone encountered such a problem?