Polymer brushes propagating radicals

Idealized scheme for the growth of a polymer brush by surface-initiated photoiniferter-mediated photopolymerization. The stable dithiocarbamyl radical reversibly terminates the active carbon radical to produce the dormant species. When activated, the surface-bound carbon radical propagates by the addition of monomer to form a prolymer chain. Several densely packed chains grow simultaneously to form a surface-tethered polymer layer or polymer brush. 

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