Ultra-fast RAFT polymerisation of poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate in aqueous media under mild visible light radiation at 25 degrees C.

Mild visible light was sufficient to activate RAFT polymerisation of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate in 50 wt% water at 25 degrees C, leading to an ultra-fast and well-controlled living RAFT polymerisation with more than 80% monomer conversion; this is the first example of an ultra-fast RAFT polymerisation under such environmentally friendly mild aqueous conditions.