Assessment of kinetics of photoinduced Fe‐based atom transfer radical polymerization under conditions using modeling approach

Kinetic insight into photoinduced Fe‐based atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) involving monomer‐mediated photoreduction was performed by modeling approach for the first time. Preliminary numerical analysis of number‐average molar mass (M n ) derivation in this specific system was given. Simulation results provided a full picture of reactant concentration and reaction rate throughout the entire polymerization. Methyl 2,3‐dibromoisobutyrate (MibBr 2 ) generated from methyl methacrylate (MMA)‐mediated photoreduction as the leading factor for the deviation of M n from theoretical value was confirmed by reaction contributions in α‐bromophenylacetate (EBPA) containing system. Reasonable predictions were made with respect to the polymerizations under a variety of initial conditions. Results show that increasing light intensity will shorten transition period and increase steady state polymerization rate; decreasing catalyst loading will cause the decrease in polymerization rate and M n deviation; varying initiation activity will slightly increase the time to attain steady state of dispersity (M w /M n ) evolution and enormously change the fraction of reaction contributions; increasing targeted chain length will extend transition period, decrease steady state polymerization rate, increase M n deviation degree with same reaction contributions, and decrease the time to attain the steady state of M w /M n . The numerical analysis presented in this work clearly demonstrates the unique ability of our modeling approach in describing the kinetics of photoinduced Fe‐based ATRP of MMA.