Dispersion atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with bromo-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) in supercritical carbon dioxide

Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) particles were successfully prepared by dispersion atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with bromoterminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) as inistab (initiator + stabilizer) in supercritical carbon dioxide medium (scCO2). The block copolymers had narrow molecular weight distributions (M w/M n approx. 1.25), indicating that the polymerization in scCO2 was conducted in a controlled manner.