Branching in RAFT Miniemulsion Copolymerization of Styrene/Triethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate and Control of Branching Density Distribution

This work reported branching studies in reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), and control of branching density distribution using a model‐based computer‐programed monomer feeding strategy. Highly branched polystyrenes (PS) were produced with small amount of TEGDMA. The branching density experienced drifting in a batch operation. A semi‐batch kinetic model by combining the kinetic model for RAFT miniemulsion copolymerization with a semi‐batch reactor model was used to design the monomer feeding rate profiles for targeted branching density distributions. A series of hyperbranched PSs with the designed branching density distributions were synthesized.