3.05 - Controlled and Living Radical Polymerization – Principles and Fundamentals

Abstract

This chapter is intended to describe the principles and fundamentals of controlled/living radical polymerization (LRP). It includes a brief survey of LRP, the kinetic theories of polymerization rate and polydispersity index (PDI) in main branches of LRPs, and experimental investigations into several typical LRP systems including nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and some other systems. The kinetic parameters related to reversible activation reactions are briefly summarized.