Sub-Micrometer Sized Hairy Latex Particles Synthesized by Dispersion Polymerization Using Hydrophilic Macromolecular RAFT Agents

Dispersion polymerization of n-butyl acrylate has been performed in a mixture of ethanol and water in the presence of poly(N-acryloylmorpholine) (polyNAM). These hydrophilic polymer chains are synthesized by the RAFT process and thus incorporate well-defined chain ends. The dithioester ω-end group is used as an efficient chain transfer agent under dispersion polymerization conditions to produce hairy poly(n-butyl acrylate) latex particles. Moreover, pre-functionalization of the polyNAM chains on the α-end by a carbohydrate derivative is also achieved to obtain directly functionalized particles according to the same strategy.