Photoinduced atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by in situ generation of copper (I) complex from higher oxidation state species using neat zinc oxide and iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles is investigated. The polymerizations proceed in a well-controlled manner under UV light at room temperature as evidenced by kinetic and light on-off experiments. The evolution of molecular weight with conversion shows good correlations between experimental and theoretical molecular weights, which confirmed good control over polymerization along with a narrow molecular weight distribution.
Keywords: atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP); metal-organic catalysts/organometallic catalysts; photochemistry; photopolymerization; semiconductor nanoparticles; zinc oxides.
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