Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer inverse microemulsion polymerization (RAFT-IMEP) has been successfully done for the first time. The inverse microemulsion system was obtained by generating pseudo three-component phase diagrams. Inverse microemulsion consisted of hydrophilic monomer, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA), water, hexanes, nonionic surfactants and a cosolvent. The kinetic behavior and the living character of RAFT-IMEP with varying amount of dispersed water phase were compared to those of RAFT solution polymerization. The colloidal stability during polymerization was also investigated. The rate of RAFT-IMEP was similar to that of RAFT solution polymerization. The inverse microemulsion size decreased and the colloidal stability improved with decreasing amount of dispersed water phase. However, polydispersity increased with decreasing amount of water phase and this was due to uncontrolled radical-generated polymer formed at the early stage of polymerization. 

Synthesis of hydrophilic polymers in inverse microemulsion by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process

239th National Meeting (2010)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.