Mechanically Controlled Radical Polymerization: From Harsh to Mild.

ABSTRACT

Mechanochemistry constitutes a burgeoning field that investigates the chemical and physicochemical alterations of substances under mechanical force. It enables the synthesis of materials which was challenging to access via conventional thermal, optical, and electrical activation methods. In addition, it diminishes reliance on organic solvents and provides a novel route for green chemistry. Today, as a distinct branch alongside electrochemistry, photochemistry, and thermochemistry, mechanochemistry has emerged as an intersected research field with chemistry and material science. In recent years, the combination of mechanochemistry with controlled radical polymerization has witnessed rapid advancement, providing new sights to polymer science. The mechanochemically controlled radical polymerization (mechano-CRP) not only facilitate the synthesis of polymers with high molecular weight but also enable precise control over polymer chain length and structure. To diminish the side reactions by the strong mechanical force, transitioning from harsh to mild conditions in mechanochemical routes has been recognized as one of the primary advancements. From this perspective, we introduce the progress of mechanochemistry in controlled radical polymerization in recent years, aim to clarify the development trend of this research direction and stimulate senior researchers or newcomers to contemplate the future direction of this field.