I've studied and read the principle of RAFT and its mechanism. By being fragmented and added, the rate of polymerization gets slow under the equilibrium between active and dormant species.
But, what makes me still confused is why DP is proportional to [M]/[CTA] instead of [M]/[I]?
Let me assume the situation where 10 initiators and 100 CTAs are in a closed system. I think when all 10 initiators are cleaved and make 2 radicals each, it can make 20 CTAs active instead of 100. It looks like more sense to me.
From the fact that CTA contributes molecular weight of RAFT, I can try to reasonably understand that the reason CTA is predominant for Mn is, 20 strong (fast) radicals are distributed on 100 CTAs, making them comparatively week (slow) radicals, these 100 radicals are finally included in the calculation of [M]/[CTA] which is proportional to Mn.
If I am wrong, please let me know.
Even though I seem right, can you explain it more clearly?
Thank you.
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