Rapid RAFT Polymerization of Acrylamide with High Conversion

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 28; no. 6; p. 2588
• Main Authors: Liu, Xuejing, Sun, Qiang, Zhang, Yan, Feng, Yujun, Su, Xin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13.03.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Acrylamide; Addition polymerization; Amides; Chain transfer; controllable living radical polymerization; Conversion; Dimethyl sulfoxide; Free radicals; Molecular structure; Molecular weight; Molecular weight distribution; Polymerization; Polymers; Propionic acid; RAFT; Solvents; water-soluble polymer; China; water-soluble polymer; controllable living radical polymerization; acrylamide; RAFT
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062588

Rapid RAFT polymerization can significantly improve production efficiency of PAM with designed molecular structure. This study shows that ideal Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization of acrylamide is achieved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution at 70 °C. The key to success is the appropriate choice of both a suitable RAFT chain transfer agent (CTA) and initiating species. It is illustrated that dodecyl trithiodimethyl propionic acid (DMPA) is a suitable trithiocarbonate RAFT CTA and is synthesized more easily than other CTAs. Compared to other RAFT processes of polymers, the reaction system shortens reaction time, enhances conversion, and bears all the characteristics of a controlled radical polymerization. The calculation result shows that high concentrations can reduce high conversions, accelerate the reaction rate, and widen molecular weight distributions slightly. This work proposes an excellent approach for rapid synthesis of PAMs with a restricted molecular weight distribution.