Industry on One-table: Consistent, Scalable, and Reproducible Copolymerization Process with a Digitally controlled System Governed by Reaction Kinetics.

Free radical copolymerization, a crucial industrial technique for synthesizing copolymers from a diverse array of monomers with ease, has played a significant role in advancing human society. However, the journey from small-scale research and development to manufacturing has been hindered by a lack of research into predicting the effects of synthesis environments on final products, a longstanding and critical challenge. Addressing this gap, we propose a groundbreaking synthesis process enabled by digitally controlled integration of micromixers, flow reactors, and batch reactors functionalities. This novel approach not only stabilizes the composition and molecular weight of the produced copolymers throughout the reaction but also slashes the costs and environmental footprint associated with manufacturing process optimization. The novel device achieved a manufacturing capacity of 2 kg/day, which is comparable to the current annual manufacturing capacity in polymer materials for EUV photoresist which is one of the emerging fields. The developed innovative system is poised to revolutionize copolymerization processes in various domains, heralding a new era of industrial application.