The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Achieving absolute structural fidelity in block copolymers is a prerequisite for advanced applications such as self-assembly and nanolithography. Although reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) affords control over block synthesis, unavoidable dead chain formation during chain extension intrinsically limits the purity of the final architecture. Here, we report the selective isolation of living chains from poly(benzyl acrylate)-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) synthesized via ARGET ATRP. End-group modification via thio-bromo click reaction with thioglycerol imparted a distinct polarity contrast between living and dead chains, enabling effective separation using HPLC. Characterized by 1H NMR, SEC and MALDI-TOF MS, the purified living chains exhibited Poisson-like dispersities. This protocol establishes a robust standard for accessing Isolation of precise chain-end functionalized polymers.