Abstract: The invention provides a production method that is capable of obtaining a polyalkylene oxide having high whiteness by a simple method, and a polyalkylene oxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production method for obtaining, by a simple method, a polyalkylene oxide whose molecular weight and polydispersity are controlled in the desired range. The method for producing a polyalkylene oxide of the present disclosure comprises step 1 of performing a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide in the presence or absence of a chain transfer agent to obtain a high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide; and step 2 of irradiating the high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide obtained in step 1 with radiation to obtain a polyalkylene oxide; wherein the amount of the chain transfer agent when used is less than 300 mass ppm relative to the alkylene oxide, and the high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide has a viscosity in a 1 mass % aqueous solution of 7500 mPa·s or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production method for obtaining, by a simple method, a polyalkylene oxide whose molecular weight and polydispersity are controlled in the desired range. The method for producing a polyalkylene oxide of the present disclosure comprises step 1 of performing a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide in the presence of a chain transfer agent to obtain a high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide; and step 2 of irradiating the high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide obtained in step 1 with radiation to obtain a polyalkylene oxide; wherein the amount of the chain transfer agent is 800 mass ppm or more relative to the alkylene oxide, and the high-molecular-weight polyalkylene oxide has a viscosity in a 1 mass % aqueous solution of 6000 mPas or less.