Living polymer

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-006719",
  "term": "Living polymer",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A polymer whose active chain ends remain viable for further growth, meaning they can continue to add monomer units or react with other species without undergoing irreversible chain transfer or termination. This characteristic allows for the synthesis of polymers with precisely controlled molecular weights, narrow polydispersities, and complex architectures. Such polymers can be reactivated for further polymerization.",
  "subject": "Polymer",
  "see_also": [
    "chain polymerization",
    "chain transfer",
    "living polymerization",
    "polymerization",
    "stable",
    "termination"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2004, 76, 889. 'Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003)' on page 896 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200476040889)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/living-polymer/"
}