ma7b01890_si_001.pdf (1.72 MB)
Controlling Molecular Weight Distributions through Photoinduced Flow Polymerization
journal contribution
posted on 2017-10-20, 21:13 authored by Nathaniel Corrigan, Abdulrahman Almasri, Werner Taillades, Jiangtao Xu, Cyrille BoyerMolecular weight distribution plays
an important role by giving
specific properties to polymeric materials. Despite the recent progress
in controlled/“living” radical polymerization, polymer
chemists do not have the ability to tune and manipulate the shape
of molecular weight distributions (MWDs) (except for a few recent
examples). In this article, new synthetic procedures have been developed
for controlling MWDs using photoinduced electron/energy transfer–reversible
addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization, in
conjunction with flow processes. By adjusting the pump flow rates,
the chemical concentrations and residence times of the reactant streams
were tailored throughout the polymerization, leading to control over
the MWD. Changes to the intensity and wavelength of the light source
also induced changes in the polymerization, allowing alteration of
the MWD. The protocols described here should be amenable to a range
of polymerization techniques and reaction setups.