Polymer science |
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Chain polymerization, propagated by radicals that are deactivated reversibly, bringing them into active/dormant equilibria of which there might be more than one.[1]
See also reversible-deactivation polymerization RDP.
In polymer chemistry, reversible-deactivation radical polymerizations (RDRPs) are members of the class of reversible-deactivation polymerizations which exhibit much of the character of living polymerizations, but cannot be categorized as such as they are not without chain transfer or chain termination reactions.[2][3] Several different names have been used in literature, which are:
Though the term "living" radical polymerization was used in early days, it has been discouraged by IUPAC, because radical polymerization cannot be a truly living process due to unavoidable termination reactions between two radicals. The commonly-used term controlled radical polymerization is permitted, but reversible-deactivation radical polymerization or controlled reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) is recommended.