Free radical polymerization is a commonly used method to make numerous polymers from the carbon double bond containing monomers. This method is usually cost efficient, convenient, and less restrictively conditioned. Using this method, we have produced many polymer products for our clients, e.g., fluorescent dye-tagged polystyrene, poly(benzyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid), poly(acrylonitrile-co-mPEG acrylate), poly(acrylic acid-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), n-isopropylacrylamide/AMPS based hydrogels, etc.

Some factors such as temperature, radical initiator amount, solvent, chain transfer agent, etc, play roles in the molecular weight of the resulting polymer. But the molecular weight of the polymer can hardly be adjusted to the low level with a free radical polymerization process, and the molecular weight distribution is relatively broad as well. To address these issues, a living polymerization approach may hence be adopted. For instance, a polyacrylonitrile product with low molecular weight had been synthesized via ATRP polymerization in our lab for a client's special need.

Free Radical Polymerization