Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Department of Coating and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, PO Box 6050, Department 2760, Fargo, North Dakota 58108 USA
Abstract:
Parallel atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene and t‐butyl acrylate (t‐BA) was investigated. A series of ATRP polymerizations were carried out in parallel with varying targeted molecular weight ( ) and showed excellent reproducibility of , polydispersity, and conversion. In addition, polymerizations were done to determine the effect of inhibitor on styrene polymerization, yielding similar results. In synthesizing a library of polymers having varying using ATRP, polymers having lower reach their target values earlier and the others continue to react under heating, resulting in peak broadening for the low polymers. Reinitiation experiments indicated that termination reactions were taking place resulting in “dead” polymer chains which were unable to reinitiate polymerization.
) and showed excellent reproducibility of 
, polydispersity, and conversion. In addition, polymerizations were done to determine the effect of inhibitor on styrene polymerization, yielding similar results. In synthesizing a library of polymers having varying 
using ATRP, polymers having lower 
reach their target values earlier and the others continue to react under heating, resulting in peak broadening for the low 
polymers. Reinitiation experiments indicated that termination reactions were taking place resulting in “dead” polymer chains which were unable to reinitiate polymerization. 