J. Qiu et al., Mechanistic aspect of reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of n-butyl methacrylate in aqueous dispersed system, MACROMOLEC, 33(20), 2000, pp. 7310-7320
Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of n-butyl methacrylate
was conducted in an aqueous dispersed system. Using a water-soluble initia
tor (V-50), a nonionic surfactant (Brij 98), and a hydrophobic ligand (dNbp
y) to complex a copper halide, polymers with relatively well controlled mol
ar masses and low polydispersities wen: obtained. Stable latexes with parti
cle diameters within 150-300 nm were formed. Kinetic studies were performed
under various experimental conditions. The influence of the concentrations
of the catalyst, the surfactant, and the initiator as well as the temperat
ure on the polymerization rate, molecular weight, and particle size was inv
estigated. Because of the lack of high molecular weight polymer during the
early polymerization stage, reverse ATRP in the aqueous dispersed system pr
esumably has a different "nucleation" mechanism from that of a conventional
emulsion polymerization. In addition, fast decomposition of the initiator
prevents the continuous entry of radicals into the particles from the aqueo
us phase. As a result, the kinetics of the reverse ATRP is fundamentally di
fferent from a classical emulsion polymerization and is controlled mainly b
y the atom transfer equilibrium.