Successful Dispersion Polymerization in Supercritical CO₂ Using Polyvinylalkylate Hydrocarbon Surfactants Synthesized and Anchored via RAFT

Abstract

New CO2-philic hydrocarbon molecules were synthesized by reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. These poly(vinyl alkylates) show the highest solubility in supercritical CO2 of any hydrocarbon reported to date. By utilizing the anchoring ability of the thiocarbonylthio end group, the dispersion polymerization of N-vinyl pyrrolidone was successfully achieved in scCO2 leading to high yields of well-defined spherical polymer particles.