| Abstract: | The miniemulsion reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate was carried out with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the sole surfactant. The polymerizations were initiated with 2,2′‐azobis2‐(2‐imidazolin‐2‐yl)propane] dihydrochloride and mediated with copper(II) bromide/tris2‐di(2‐ethylhexyl acrylate)aminoethyl]amine. The living character was demonstrated by the linear increase in the number‐average molecular weight with conversion and the decreasing polydispersity index with conversion. The polymerizations were conducted at 90 °C with 1 wt % CTAB with respect to the monomer and produced a coagulum‐free latex with a mean particle diameter of 155 nm. The resulting latexes exhibited good shelf‐life stability. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1628–1634, 2006 |
