The future of reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

We examine the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process with regard to its potential and limits in future industrial applications (including those conducted on a larger scale) as well as materials science. The outlook for the RAFT process is bright: Its unrivaled inherent process simplicity coupled with a wide tolerance to monomer classes and functionalities makes it a prime candidate for the use in large reactors. At the same time, it allows for ready access to complex macromolecular architectures of variable shape and size. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.