Solvent-free stable free radical polymerization: Understanding and applications

The kinetics of Stable Free Radical Polymerization permits the polymerization to be conducted without solvents. The use of nitroxide as a reversible chain terminator provides control over the polymer architecture in a free radical polymerization. The concentration of the unbound nitroxide capping agent controls the kinetics. The difference in the nitroxide concentration behaviour between styrene and acrylates has been studied over the course of the polymerization. A variety of block copolymers have been synthesized and new GPC techniques developed to elucidate their structure. The polymerizations have also been conducted in supercritical carbon dioxide.