The nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization (NMP) of styrene and butyl acrylate
in microflow tubular reactors was examined. In comparison with polymerizations conducted
in a batch reactor under otherwise identical conditions, the microflow setup gave
higher conversions and produced polymers with lower polydispersity indices. Block
copolymers of the two monomers could be synthesized by connecting two microflow tubular
reactors through a T-junction. The NMP of methyl methacrylate in a microflow tubular
reactor was also investigated.
Key words
polymers - radical reactions - flow reactors - microfluidics