Environmentally Friendly RAFT Polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM)

1. University of Southern Mississippi MRSECMarek W. Urban DMR-0213883Room Temperature Aqueous Polymerization (McCormick/Lowe) A breakthrough in controlled radical polymerization was achieved through the development of conditions that facilitate controlled room temperature polymerization of N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) via reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT). Key to success was the choice of the proper trithiocarbonate RAFT chain transfer agent and azo initiating species that permitted efficient conversion of monomer to polyNIPAM homopolymers of very low polydispersity. The room temperature RAFT polymerization represents a first step in the development of environmentally friendly controlled radical polymerization methods for compounds such as NIPAM, whose thermoresponsive polymer has been widely investigated for drug delivery applications. Efforts are underway to render the polymerization process even "greener" by developing methods that avoid harmful organic solvents. Environmentally Friendly RAFT Polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) Convertine, A.J.; Ayres, N.; Scales, C.W.; Lowe, A.B.; McCormick C.L.: Biomacromolecules 5:1177-1180 (2004). Thomas, D.B.; Convertine, A.J.; Hester, R.D.; Lowe, A.B.; McCormick, C.L.: Macromolecules 37: 1735-1741 (2004). Thomas, D.B., Convertine, A.J., Myrick, L.J., Scales, C.W., Smith, A.E., Lowe, A.B., Visilieva, Y.A., Ayres, N., McCormick, C.L.: Macromolecules 37:8941-8950 ( 2004) .