Development of separation materials using controlled/living radical polymerization

The development of new separation materials to meet growing demands has always been a major concern of separation science and technology. Controlled/living radical polymerization (CRP) is a technique with many advantages for polymer synthesis. Polymers with low polydispersities and desirable architectures can be prepared using this technique. The application of CRP in the development of polymer-related separation materials has dramatically increased in recent years. In this article, we introduce the mechanism and the advantages of CRP for polymer synthesis and material modification. We also review the development of separation materials in different formats via CRP and their applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.