Continuous living polymerization in miniemulsion using reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) in a tubular reactor

Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerizations were conducted in a continuous miniemulsion using a tubular reactor in order to assess the feasibility of employing this combination on an industrial basis. Batch and continuous polymerizations were conducted simultaneously, and the results were compared. In general, the two reaction systems behaved in a similar fashion kinetically. Polydispersities of the final product were higher in the tubular reactor, likely owing to a distribution of residence times of the particles. A population of nongrowing chains was occasionally observed and determined to be independent of the reactor type. A chain extension experiment with the product of the tubular reactor demonstrated the "livingness" of the polymer and the possibility of using the system to make block copolymers.