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Related Concept Videos

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

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Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
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The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...
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Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform PolyN-isopropylacrylamide Microgels
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Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight, Narrow-Polydispersity Polyacrylamides Synthesized Using Photoiniferter Polymerization to

Moritz Streicher1, Volodymyr Boyko1, Adam Blanazs1

  • 1BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|December 7, 2023
PubMed
Summary

New polyelectrolyte flocculants with narrow molecular weight distributions were synthesized using photoiniferter polymerization. These advanced flocculants enhance wastewater treatment efficiency by improving solid-liquid separation and reducing sludge.

Keywords:
RAFT polymerizationdewateringflocculantphotoiniferterpolyacrylamidepolyelectrolyteultra-high-molecular-weight polymer

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyelectrolytes are crucial for efficient solid-liquid separation in wastewater treatment.
  • There is a growing demand for sustainable flocculants with superior dewatering performance to minimize pollution and freshwater usage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize ultra-high-molecular-weight polyelectrolyte copolymer flocculants with narrow molecular weight distributions.
  • To evaluate the flocculation efficiency of these novel flocculants in comparison to commercial benchmarks.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized trithiocarbonate-mediated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, termed photoiniferter polymerization, under blue LED or UV irradiation.
  • Synthesized cationic and anionic polyelectrolyte copolymers with controlled monomer compositions and narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/M < 1.2).
  • Assessed flocculation performance in kaolin suspensions, comparing narrow polydispersity copolymers with broad polydispersity commercial flocculants.

Main Results:

  • Successfully generated ultra-high-molecular-weight (M > 1,000,000 g mol⁻¹) polyelectrolyte copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions.
  • Cationic polyelectrolytes with narrow polydispersity demonstrated up to 50% improved flocculation efficiency in kaolin suspension clarification.
  • The enhanced performance is linked to the reduced content of lower-molecular-weight polymer chains, which exhibit lower flocculation efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Photoiniferter polymerization is an effective method for producing high-performance polyelectrolyte flocculants with controlled molecular weights.
  • Narrow molecular weight distribution in polyelectrolyte flocculants significantly enhances their efficiency in solid-liquid separation processes.
  • These findings contribute to the development of more sustainable and efficient wastewater treatment technologies.