Note on the construction of free monoids (Q2268749)

For any monoidal category \({\mathcal C}\), one can define a category \(\text{Mon}({\mathcal C})\) of monoids in \({\mathcal C}\), which comes with a natural forgetful functor \(U: \text{Mon}({\mathcal C}) \to{\mathcal C}\). One can ask whether a free monoid functor \(F\) exists, i.e., a left adjoint of the forgetful function \(U\). Under suitable compatibility conditions of the tensor product of \({\mathcal C}\) with colimits, it is known [see \textit{E. J. Dubuc}, ``Free monoids'', Algebra J. 29, 208--228 (1974; Zbl 0291.18010), \textit{G. M. Kelly}, ``A unified treatment of transfinite constructions for free algebras, free monoids, colimits, associated sheaves, and so on'', Bull. Austr. Math. Soc. 22, 1--83 (1980; Zbl 0437.18004), \textit{B. Vallette}, ``Free monoid in monoidal abelian categories'', Appl. Categ. Struct. 17, No.~1, 43--61 (2009; Zbl 1200.18003)] that \(F\) can be constructed. In the paper under review, these conditions are considerably weakened: It is enough that finite limits and countable colimits exist and that the tensor functors preserves reflexive coequilizers and colimits of countable chains in each argument.