Dispersity (Ɖ) can significantly affect polymer properties and is a key parameter in materials design. Here, we report a straightforward and versatile batch method based on reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to tailor the molecular weight distributions for a wide range of monomer classes, including acrylates, acrylamides, methacrylates, and styrene. In addition, our methodology is compatible with more challenging monomers, such as methacrylic acid, methyl vinyl ketone, and vinyl acetate. Control over Ɖ is achieved by mixing two RAFT agents with sufficiently different chain-transfer activities in various ratios, affording polymers with monomodal molecular weight distributions over a broad dispersity range (Ɖ ∼ 1.09–2.10). Our experimental findings were supported by simulations through the use of deterministic kinetic modeling, and our method was further demonstrated for the preparation of well-defined block co-polymers, regardless of the initial homopolymer dispersity.

分散度（Ɖ）会显着影响聚合物的性能，并且是材料设计中的关键参数。在这里，我们报告了一种基于可逆加成-断裂链转移（RAFT）聚合的简单而通用的批处理方法，以针对各种单体类型（包括丙烯酸酯，丙烯酰胺，甲基丙烯酸酯和苯乙烯）定制分子量分布。此外，我们的方法与更具挑战性的单体兼容，例如甲基丙烯酸，甲基乙烯基酮和乙酸乙烯酯。通过将两种具有足够不同链转移活性的RAFT试剂以各种比例混合来实现对Ɖ的控制，从而在宽分散范围内提供具有单峰分子量分布的聚合物（Ɖ〜1.09–2.10）。通过使用确定性动力学模型进行的模拟，为我们的实验结果提供了支持，并且无论初始均聚物的分散度如何，我们的方法都可用于制备定义明确的嵌段共聚物。