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Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN)/FeCl3/lactic acid as initiating system was successfully carried out in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) for the first time. Kinetics as well as molecular weight distribution data indicated towards the controlled nature of polymerization. The polymerization not only showed the best control of molecular weight and its distribution but also provided a rather rapid reaction rate with the molar ratio of [MMA]:[AIBN]:[FeCl3]:[lactic acid] = 300 : 1 : 1 : 2. The polymerization rate increased with increasing the polymerization temperature. The apparent activation energy was calculated to be 47.90 kJ/mol. The rate of polymerization in DMF was faster than that in acetonitrile, cyclohexanone, toluene, and xylene. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Porous acrylonitrile (AN)/itaconic acid (IA) copolymers were successfully prepared by suspended emulsion polymerization for the first time, with potassium peroxydisulfate (KPS) as an initiator, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a dispersant agent, and Span80 as an emulsifier. The effects of the water/monomer mass ratio, agitation conditions, KPS concentration, PVA concentration, Span80 concentration,s and IA concentration on the average particle size and size distribution, particle morphology, and porosity of the AN/IA copolymers were investigated. The results show that the final AN/IA copolymers formed with agglomerates of primary particles had a porous structure, low particle density, and uniform particle size and did not agglomerate easily between the particles. The preparation conditions for the AN/IA copolymers were optimized as follows: (1) the water/monomer mass ratio was 0.3 : 1; (2) the concentrations of KPS, IA, PVA, and Span80 were 0.5, 12.4, 0.1, and 0.5 wt %, respectively, based on the weight of AN separately; (3) the agitation rate was 400 rpm; (4) the polymerization temperature was 70°C; and (5) the reaction time was 3 h. The size of the final AN/IA copolymer particles was in the range 200–400 μm. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Highly crosslinked poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) microspheres with a 1.0–2.5-μm diameter were prepared by precipitation polymerization in neat acetonitrile. The effects of various polymerization parameters such as the monomer and initiator concentration, comonomer composition, and cosolvents on the properties of the resulting particles were studied. The particle diameter increased with the monomer concentration, whereas the particle size distribution remained almost constant. The resulting yield of the particles reached 41.1% when 6 wt % 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (based on the total monomer) was used as the initiator. The styrene fraction in the monomer composition and toluene fraction in the solvent mixture also significantly affected the morphology and size of the resulting particles. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

A hexa-substituted ethane thermal iniferter, diethyl-2,3-dicyano-2,3-di(p-tolyl) succinate (DCDTS), was firstly used as the initiator in the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of acrylonitrile. FeCl3 coordinated by isophthalic acid (IA) was used as the catalyst in this system. The polymerization in N,N-dimethylformamide not only shows the best control of molecular weight and its distribution but also provides rather rapid reaction rate with the ratio of [AN] : [DCDTS] : [FeCl3] : [IA] at 500 : 1 : 2 : 4. The polymers obtained were end-functionalized by chlorine atom, and they were used as macroinitiators to proceed the chain extension polymerization in the presence of FeCl2/IA catalyst system via a conventional ATRP process and polyacrylonitrile obtained was with Mn = 39,260, PDI = 1.25. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007

Monodisperse crosslinked polystyrene microspheres were prepared by the dispersion copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in a mixed solvent of ethanol and H2O. 2,2′-Azobisisobutyronitrile and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) were used as the initiator and steric stabilizer, respectively. The crosslinker-postaddition method was adopted through a slow addition of a crosslinking agent into the dispersion system at a certain time after the beginning of the polymerization. The effects of the postaddition recipe, postaddition beginning time, postaddition velocity, and agitation rate on the particle size, size distribution, and morphology were discussed. The resulting polymer microspheres were characterized with scanning electron microscopy and laser particle analysis. Crosslinked polystyrene microspheres with a narrow size distribution and a 12.0% crosslinker level were obtained with a size of 1.0 μm through the crosslinker-postaddition method. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008