Abstract

Photocontrolled Polymerizations in Flow: Next Generation Material Synthesis

Thomas Junkers, Professor, Hasselt University

One of the greatest challenges in polymer synthesis is nowadays the facile upscaling of controlled polymerization protocols in order to provide added-value precision polymers in significant quantities. Photo-induced flow processes play an important role due their efficient initiation combined with their overall simplicity in practical use. The use of various UV sources in the copper-redox initiated controlled polymerization of (meth)acrylates will be highlighted and the efficiency of these reactions discussed with respect to the overall quality of materials that can be obtained in this pathway, ranging from multiblock copolymers to star-shaped polymeric drug carriers.