Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.4K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this...
2.4K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:10

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.3K
Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
2.3K
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.2K
The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the...
2.2K
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

7.6K
The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
7.6K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching01:17

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching

1.9K
The skeletal structure of polymers synthesized via radical polymerization is always branched. For example, the polymerization of ethylene by radical polymerization results in a low-density grade of polyethylene with a heavily branched skeletal structure. Here, the radical site abstracts hydrogen from the growing chain, and the radical site shifts from the end (a primary carbon center) to anywhere within the growing chain (a secondary carbon center). Consequently, the part of the chain from the...
1.9K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.0K
The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael...
2.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Chain Length Dependence of Chemically Controlled Reactions in Polymerization.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Photocatalytic Depolymerization of Commercial Polymethacrylates via a Solvent-Independent Pathway.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Beyond the Chemical Recycling of Polymethacrylates: Depolymerization of Polymethacrylamides.

Chimia·2026
Same author

Dithioketal Polymers Via Radical Polymerization of γ-Dithiobutyrolactone.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Direct Polymer-on-Polymer Grafting of Polyolefins under Visible Light.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Spontaneous trisulfide metathesis in polar aprotic solvents.

Nature chemistry·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2025

Facile and Efficient Preparation of Tri-component Fluorescent Glycopolymers via RAFT-controlled Polymerization
10:54

Facile and Efficient Preparation of Tri-component Fluorescent Glycopolymers via RAFT-controlled Polymerization

Published on: June 19, 2015

9.6K

Unravelling the effect of side chain on RAFT depolymerization; identifying the rate determining step.

Francesco Felician1, Maria-Nefeli Antonopoulou1, Nghia P Truong1

  • 1Laboratory of Sustainable Polymers, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5 8093 Zürich Switzerland glen.jones@mat.ethz.ch athina.anastasaki@mat.ethz.ch.

Polymer Chemistry
|March 31, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) depolymerization is a promising chemical recycling method. Longer side chains on polymers significantly accelerate RAFT depolymerization kinetics, revealing chain activation as the rate-determining step.

More Related Videos

Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst
07:39

Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst

Published on: June 8, 2016

9.4K
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

7.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2025

Facile and Efficient Preparation of Tri-component Fluorescent Glycopolymers via RAFT-controlled Polymerization
10:54

Facile and Efficient Preparation of Tri-component Fluorescent Glycopolymers via RAFT-controlled Polymerization

Published on: June 19, 2015

9.6K
Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst
07:39

Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst

Published on: June 8, 2016

9.4K
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

7.7K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Chemical Recycling
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) depolymerization offers low-temperature chemical recycling for near-quantitative monomer regeneration.
  • Key mechanistic aspects, particularly the influence of polymer structure on kinetics, require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of pendant side chains on RAFT depolymerization kinetics.
  • To identify the rate-determining step in the RAFT depolymerization process.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic variation of side chain length (number of carbons and ethylene glycol units) in methacrylates.
  • Addition of radical initiators during depolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(hexyl methacrylate).
  • Computational modeling to assess fragmentation energetics.

Main Results:

  • Depolymerization rate significantly accelerated with increasing side chain length.
  • Radical initiator addition led to rate equilibration, confirming chain activation as rate-determining.
  • Computational studies showed energetically favorable chain-end fragmentation for longer side chains.

Conclusions:

  • Side chain structure critically influences RAFT depolymerization rates.
  • Chain activation is the rate-determining step in RAFT depolymerization.
  • Findings enable the design of more efficient and tailored depolymerization systems.