Bioenhanced Rapid Redox Initiation for RAFT Polymerization in the Air

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biocatalysis

Background:

• Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is a controlled radical polymerization technique.
• Existing methods often require specific initiators or conditions that limit their applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, bioenhanced, and air-tolerant RAFT polymerization method.
• To utilize green and readily available reactants for enhanced polymerization rates.

Main Methods:

• Bioenhanced RAFT polymerization using glucose oxidase (GOx), glucose, ascorbic acid (Asc acid), and catalytic hemin.
• Investigated the influence of pH and reactant ratios on polymerization kinetics.
• Controlled polymerization rate by managing Asc acid addition.

Main Results:

• Achieved rapid RAFT polymerization with high monomer conversion (>95%) and narrow molecular weight distributions (Ð as low as 1.09) in minutes.
• Demonstrated the method's versatility with various monomers.
• Identified optimal conditions for polymerization rate and control.

Conclusions:

• The presented GOx-deoxygen RAFT polymerization is significantly faster and more efficient than conventional redox-initiated methods.
• The use of simple, green reactants and air tolerance facilitates practical applications, especially in biomedical fields.