Atom transfer radical copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate

Atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate has been investigated from a kinetic point of view. Attention is focused on the activation of the dormant species as well as on the termination that plays a role in these reactions. It has been shown that the activation of a styrene dormant species is much slower in methyl methacrylate compared to reported data obtained in styrene. Termination reactions seem to play a minor role in ATRP, although in the early stages of the reaction loss of functionality is observed. The reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate are determined as well and are very similar to the ones for conventional free-radical polymerization. From simulations it is clear that the system is self-tuning in the sense that a difference in equilibrium constants between both dormant species does not lead to a change in radical ratios in the reaction mixture.