Particle formation by self-assembly in controlled radical emulsion polymerizations

A study was conducted to demonstrate particle formation by self-assembly in controlled radical emulsion polymerizations. It was observed that full description of particle formation and growth of CRP in disperse systems required accounting for the lengths of all chains and radical compartmentalization within separate particles. For this study 'particles' included both pre-existing particles and entities such as micelles, which entered by a radical capable of propagating with monomer within this entity. It was also found that for the present system, complications generated from the presence of (electro)steric stabilizer inherent in the self-assembly method and from the kinetics of controlled-radical polymerization. The study provided a platform to design and optimization of controlled-radical self-assembly in emulsion polymerizations.