Microwave mediated RAFT polymerization leads to ultra-fast polymerizations, whilst keeping excellent control over molecular weights and molecular weight distributions; this is the first example of such a dramatic effect of microwaves on living radical polymerization kinetics, and it shows the potential for chemists to produce very well controlled polymers in a matter of minutes.

INTRODUCTION Polymeric materials are ubiquitous in our daily life and play a major role in scientific discoveries for constructing next generation smart materials, bioelectronics, novel drug carriers and so on. Numerous polymerizations methods have been developed to access functional polymeric materials, with metalcatalyzed polymerizations proven one of the most successful. However, some inhere...

Core cross-linked star (CCS) copolymers were prepared by reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization according to the arm-first technique and studied as viscosity index improvers for application in hydraulic lubricants. A one-pot two-step synthetic procedure was optimized: starting from PMA arms with a precisely controlled structure three different molecular weights using am...

This article is the first comprehensive review on the study and use of vinyl ester monomers in reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. It covers all the synthetic aspects associated with the definition of precision polymers comprising poly(vinyl ester) building blocks, such as the choice of RAFT agent and reaction conditions in order to progress from simple to co...

The preparation of well-defined block copolymers using controlled radical polymerization depends on the proper order of monomer addition. The reversed order of monomer addition results in a mixture of block copolymer and homopolymer and thus has typically been avoided. In this paper, the low blocking efficiency of reversed monomer addition order is utilized in combination with surface initiated...

The in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of primary ammonium ethyl methacrylate homopolymers (AEMPs) was investigated. AEMPs with different degrees of polymerization (DP = 7.7-12) were prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The AEMPs showed higher inhibitory effects against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus...

As viable precursors to a diverse array of macromolecules, biomass-derived compounds must impart wide-ranging and precisely controllable properties to polymers. Herein, we report the synthesis and subsequent reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization of a new monomer, syringyl methacrylate (SM, 2,6-dimethoxyphenyl methacrylate), that can facilitate widespread property manip...