Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate in a miniemulsion stabilized with a cationic surfactant

The miniemulsion reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate was carried out with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the sole surfactant. The polymerizations were initiated with 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl) propane] dihydrochloride and mediated with copper(II) bromide/tris[2-di(2-ethylhexyl acrylate)aminoethyl]amine. The living character was demonstrated by the linear increase in the number-average molecular weight with conversion and the decreasing polydispersity index with conversion. The polymerizations were conducted at 90 degrees C with 1 wt% CTAB with respect to the monomer and produced a coagulum-free latex with a mean particle diameter of 155 nm. The resulting latexes exhibited good shelf-life stability. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.