The properties of polymer materials are based on chain microstructures. Combining with the merits of both conventional radical polymerization and living anionic polymerization, controlled/"living" radical polymerizations(CLRPs) represented by RAFT polymerization have been shown to be a powerful tool to finely tune chain microstructures. RAFT emulsion polymerization, as a CLRP process very promisingly used in industry, has received extensive attentions for the past two decades. The current review summarizes the up-to-date status of RAFT emulsion polymerization in terms of colloidal instability, polymerization kinetics, and the controllability over chain microstructures, including molecular weight, PDI and livingness. Some new materials of block and gradient copolymers from the RAFT emulsion polymerization are summarized. In addition, the prospects of RAFT emulsion polymerization in polymeric material synthesis are also highlighted.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Colloidal instability of RAFT emulsion polymerization
3 Controllability of RAFT emulsion polymerization
3.1 Polymerization kinetics
3.2 Molecular weight and PDI
3.3 Livingness and high molecular weight polymer
4 New materials synthesized via RAFT emulsion polymerization
4.1 Block copolymer
4.2 Gradient copolymer
5 Conclusion