Challenges and Recent Developments of Photoflow-Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization (RDRP)

• Published in: Chinese journal of polymer science Vol. 39; no. 9; pp. 1069 - 1083
• Main Authors: Zhong, Zhuo-Ran, Chen, Yi-Nan, Zhou, Yang, Chen, Mao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Chemistry, CAS 01.09.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Deactivation; Feature Article; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Light irradiation; Luminous intensity; Polymer Sciences; Polymerization; Polymers; Residence time distribution; Self-assembly; Slug flow; Controlled radical polymerization; Flow polymerization; Photopolymerization; RDRP; Flow chemistry
• ISSN: 0256-7679; 1439-6203
• DOI: 10.1007/s10118-021-2529-8

Photo-controlled reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (photo-RDRP) has been investigated as a “green” and spatiotemporally controlling pathway for polymer synthesis. While the combination of photo-RDRP and flow chemistry has offered opportunities to increase light intensity and enable uniform light irradiation, problems associated with flow approaches still remain for photoflow-RDRP, which has hindered merging flow polymerization with other cutting-edge techniques. Herein, we summarize challenges and recent achievements in photoflow-RDRP including the development of (a) droplet/slug-flow to regulate residence time distribution, (b) mixing techniques to tailor polymer, (c) polymerization induced self-assembly, and (d) computer-aided synthesis. We hope this work will provide informative knowledge to people in related fields and stimulate novel ideas to promote polymer synthesis in both academia and industry.