Photo-RDRP for everyone: Smartphone light-induced oxygen-tolerant reversible deactivation radical polymerization

Abstract

Oxygen-tolerant reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) was carried out utilizing a smartphone flashlight. Well-controlled poly(oligo(ethylene oxide) monomethyl ether methacrylate) (POEOMA500) with relatively low dispersity (Đ = 1.16–1.35) was obtained employing dual catalysis atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with CuBr2/tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) and three different organic photocatalytic dyes (i.e. eosin Y (EY), fluorescein (FL), and riboflavin (RF)). The smartphone flashlight was also used for carrying out oxygen-tolerant photoinduced electron/energy transfer (PET) reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with EY and dithioesters RAFT agents , and photoiniferter (PI) RAFT polymerization with trithiocarbonate RAFT agent. The formation of crosslinked gels and facile measurement of gel points via recording the gelation process by in-built smartphone camera was also demonstrated.