The Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) process developed at Carnegie Mellon by Professor Krzysztof Matyjaszewski in 1994 is among the most effective and most widely used methods of conducting a controlled radical polymerization (CRP). The Matyjaszewski Polymer Group continues to improve ATRP and prepare materials with controlled topology and composition suited for many applications, including automotive, building materials, medical, military and environmental fields using this robust technology. Professor Matyjaszewski founded the CRP Consortium to expedite transfer of knowledge on CRP procedures to industry in 2001.
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Selected Publications
2026

“Oxygen-tolerant Inverse Microemulsion and Miniemulsion PhotoATRP”, Xiaolei Hu, Rongguan Yin, and Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, ACS Macro Lett. 2026, 15 (2), 316-321.

“Effect of Initiator Density, Catalyst Concentration, and Surface Curvature on the Uniformity of Polymers Grafted from Spherical Nanoparticles”, Rongguan Yin, Hanshu Wu, Xiaolei Hu, Khidong Kim, Francesca Lorandi, Dagmar R. D’hooge, Edmondo M. Benetti, Michael R. Bockstaller, and Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 2026, 59 (2), 689-701

“Halogen Effect on Dual-Catalysis PhotoATRP”, Halil Ibrahim Coskun, Rushik Radadiya, Gorkem Yilmaz, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 2026, 59 (3), 1732-1739

"Oxygen-Tolerant, Controlled Synthesis of Degradable and Water-Soluble Poly(Vinyl Amide)s via Radical Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Cyclic Dithiothreitol", Alessandro Magro, Ivan O. Levkovsky, Hironobu Murata, Francesca Lorandi, Edmondo M. Benetti, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Angew Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, e9026373

"Backbone Stiffness-Dependent Photoluminescence of Pendant Fluorophores in Organic Nanoparticles", Rongguan Yin, Ting-Chih Lin, Sihan Chen, Hironobu Murata, Lianshun Luo, Xiaolei Hu, Khidong Kim, Elizabeth DiFiglia, Michael R. Bockstaller, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Small Struct. 2026, 7(3), e202500819.

“Oxygen-Tolerant Ab Initio Emulsion ATRP Driven by Red or Near-Infrared Light”, Xiaolei Hu, Kangping Liu, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 2026, 59 (13), 7541-7546.

“Oxygen-tolerant Photo-Induced Miniaturized Accelerated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (OPTIMA-ATRP) for High-Throughput Synthesis of Polymer Bioconjugates”, Arman Moini Jazani, Roksana Wygoda, Hironobu Murata, Mozhde Madadi, Grzegorz Przesławski, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Angew Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, 65 (13), e6617585.

“Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates Triggered by Hydroperoxides”, Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Matylda Szewczyk-Łagodzińska, Alessandro Magro, Halil Ibrahim Coskun, Gorkem Yilmaz, Ting-Chih Lin, Elizabeth DiFiglia, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Amer. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148 (31), 33622-33630.

“Chain Conformation and Crosslink Density as Independent Mechanistic Levers in Comb-Brush Particle Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interfaces for Lithium–Metal Batteries”, Verena Kempkes, Hanshu Wu, Jirameth Tarnsangpradit, Elizabeth DiFiglia, Bailey Williams, Kwangmo Go, Michael Bockstaller, Jay F. Whitacre, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, ACS Appl. Polym. Mat. 2026, 8 (16), 14061-14072.

“PhotoATRP Catalyzed by Iron/Phosphine Complexes under Green Light”, Halil Ibrahim Coskun, Gorkem Yilmaz, Khidong Kim, Rushik Radadiya, Steffen Jockusch, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules, 59, 9521-9529 (2026).
2025

"Riboflavin-Catalyzed Photoinduced Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Halil Ibrahim Coskun, Thomas Votruba-Drzal, Hanshu Wu, Steffen Jockusch, Gorkem Yilmaz, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2025, 226, 2400323.

"Better Together: Photoredox/Copper Dual Catalysis in Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Julian Sobieski, Adam Gorczyński, Arman Jazani, Gorkem Yilmaz, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202415785.

"Polyethylene-Poly(Methyl Acrylate) Block Copolymers from PACE-SARA ATRP: Utilizing Polyolefin Active Ester Exchange-Based Macroinitiators in Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Khidong Kim, Jacobo Strong, Stephen Don Sarkar, Dung Nguyen, Huong Dau, D.A. Anwar Al-Aman, Sajjad Dadashi-Silab, Eva Harth, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 2025, 58, 1337-1348.

"Unraveling the Roles of Amines in ATRP", Gorkem Yilmaz, Arman Moini Jazani, Mitchel Baumer, Stefan Bernhard, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 12562-12573.

"Brush-Modified Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles by ATRP with Rigidity-Regulated Emission", Rongguan Yin, Lianshun Luo, Xiaolei Hu, Hironobu Murata, Jaepil Jeong, Feng Gao, Zijie Qiu, Alamgir Karim, Ben Zhong Tang, Michael R. Bockstaller, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Chem. Sci. 2025,16, 10333-10339.

"Open Vessel and Scalable Synthesis of Linear and Branched Poly(meth)acrylic Acid via Light-Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization in Water", Arman Moini Jazani, Kriti Kapil, Hironobu Murata, Mozhdeh Maddadi, Julian Sobieski, Piotr Mocny, Khidong Kim, Roberto R. Gil, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Macromolecules 2025, 58, 6190-6202.

"Confinement-Driven Segregation Enables Glassy Polymer Hybrid Materials Featuring Hyperuniformity and Integrated Self-Healing", Hanshu Wu, Yuqi Zhao, Jirameth Tarnsangpradit, Jaepil Jeong, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Michael R. Bockstaller, ACS Mater. Lett. 2025, 7, 2902-2909.

"Red-Light-Driven, Oxygen-Tolerant RAFT Polymerization Enabled by Methylene Blue", Lucca Trachsel, Ivan O. Levkovsky, Xiaolei Hu, Hironobu Murata, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 32096-32109.

"RNA-Polymer Conjugates and Hydrogels via Direct Incorporation of Chain Transfer Agent and PET-RAFT Polymerization", Xiaolei Hu, Jaepil Jeong, Hironobu Murata, Rongguan Yin, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Biomacromolecules 2025, 26, 5948-5957.

"Effect of Bottlebrush Particle Architecture on Their Efficiency as Protective Layers in Lithium-Metal Batteries", Verena Kempkes, Tong Liu, Jirameth Tarnsangpradit, Sipei Li, Michael R. Bockstaller, Jay F. Whitacre, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 7, 13885-13895 (2025)
2024

"ATRP with ppb Concentrations of Photocatalysts", Halil Ibrahim Coskun, Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Xiaolei Hu, Steffen Jockusch, Julian Sobieski, Gorkem Yilmaz, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 42, 28994–29005.

"Solid-Phase Synthesis of Well-Defined Multiblock Copolymers by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Kriti Kapil, Samuel Adida, Khidong Kim, Ting-Chih Lin, Gorkem Yilmaz, Hironobu Murata, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 32, 22247–22256.

"Organic Nanoparticles with Tunable Size and Rigidity by Hyperbranching and Cross-Linking Using Microemulsion ATRP", Rongguan Yin, Jirameth Tarnsangpradit, Akhtar Gul, Jaepil Jeong, Xiaolei Hu, Yuqi Zhao, Hanshu Wu, Qiqi Li, George Fytas, Alamgir Karim, Michael R. Bockstaller, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2024, 121, 29, e2406337121.

"Hydrophilic Poly(meth)acrylates by Controlled Radical Branching Polymerization: Hyperbranching and Fragmentation", Kriti Kapil, Arman Moini Jazani, Julian Sobieski, Leticia P. Madureira, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Michael R. Martinez, Adam Gorczyński, Hironobu Murata, Tomasz Kowalewski, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Macromolecules 2024, 57, 11, 5368–5379

"Nucleic Acid-Binding Dyes as Versatile Photocatalysts for Atom-Transfer Radical Polymerization", Jaepil Jeong, Xiaolei Hu, Rongguan Yin, Marco Fantin, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 19, 13598–13606.

"Robust Miniemulsion PhotoATRP Driven by Red and Near-Infrared Light", Xiaolei Hu, Rongguan Yin, Jaepil Jeong, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 19, 13417–13426.
2023

"Expanding the architectural horizon of nucleic-acid-polymer biohybrids by site-controlled incorporation of ATRP initiators in DNA and RNA", Jaepil Jeong, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Chem 2023, 9, 3319–3334.

"Red-Light-Driven Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization for High-Throughput Polymer Synthesis in Open Air", Xiaolei Hu, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Anna Lewandowska-Andralojc, Jaepil Jeong, Bingda Li, Hironobu Murata, Rongguan Yin, Arman Moini Jazani, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 44, 24315–24327.

"Biomass RNA for the Controlled Synthesis of Degradable Networks by Radical Polymerization", Jaepil Jeong, So Young An, Xiaolei Hu, Yuqi Zhao, Rongguan Yin, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Hironobu Murata, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. ACS Nano 2023, 17, 21, 21912–21922.

"Highly Conductive Polyoxanorbornene-Based Polymer Electrolyte for Lithium-Metal Batteries", So Young An, Xinsheng Wu, Yuqi Zhao, Tong Liu, Rongguan Yin, Jung Hyun Ahn, Lynn M. Walker, Jay F. Whitacre, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Adv. Sci. 2023, 10, 2302932.

"Copolymer Brush Particle Hybrid Materials with “Recall-and-Repair” Capability", Yuqi Zhao, Hanshu Wu, Rongguan Yin, Chenxi Yu, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Michael R. Bockstaller. Chem. Mater. 2023, 35, 17, 6990–6997.

"Fast Bulk Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates by ATRP", Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Gorkem Yilmaz, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. ACS Macro Lett. 2023, 12, 8, 1173–1178.

"RNA-Polymer Hybrids via Direct and Site-Selective Acylation with the ATRP Initiator and Photoinduced Polymerization", Jaepil Jeong, Xiaolei Hu, Hironobu Murata, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Marta Rachwalak, Anna Kietrys, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 26, 14435–14445.

"Visible-Light-Mediated Controlled Radical Branching Polymerization in Water", Kriti Kapil, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Michael R. Martinez, Hironobu Murata, Arman Moini Jazani, Jaepil Jeong, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202217658.
2022
"Depolymerization of Polymethacrylates by Iron ATRP", Michael R. Martinez, Dirk Schild, Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Macromolecules 2022, 55, 23, 10590–10599.

"Open-Air Green-Light-Driven ATRP Enabled by Dual Photoredox/copper Catalysis", Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Jaepil Jeong, Kriti Kapil, Sajjad Dadashi-Silab, Saigopalakrishna S. Yerneni, Paulina Ratajczyk, Sushil Lathwal, Dirk J. Schild, Subha R. Das, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Chem. Sci. 2022, 13, 11540–11550.

"Miniemulsion SI-ATRP by Interfacial and Ion-Pair Catalysis for the Synthesis of Nanoparticle Brushes", Rongguan Yin, Paweł Chmielarz, Izabela Zaborniak, Yuqi Zhao, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Zongyu Wang, Tong Liu, Yi Wang, Mingkang Sun, Hanshu Wu, Jirameth Tarnsangpradit, Michael R. Bockstaller, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Macromolecules 2022, 55, 15, 6332–6340.

"Polymer-Stabilized Liquid Metal Nanoparticles as a Scalable Current Collector Engineering Approach Enabling Lithium Metal Anodes", Tong Liu, Xinsheng Wu, Shang Zhu, Francesca Lorandi, Longchang Ni, Sipei Li, Mingkang Sun, Brian P. Bloom, David H. Waldeck, Venkatasubramanian Viswanathan, Jay F. Whitacre, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2022, 5, 3, 3615–3625.

"Red-Light-Induced, Copper-Catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Sajjad Dadashi-Silab, Khidong Kim, Francesca Lorandi, Grzegorz Szczepaniak, Stephanie Kramer, Linda Peteanu, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. ACS Macro Lett. 2022, 11, 3, 376–381.

"Effect of Halogen and Solvent on Iron-Catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Sajjad Dadashi-Silab, Khidong Kim, Francesca Lorandi, Dirk J. Schild, Marco Fantina, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Polym. Chem. 2022, 13, 1059–1066.

"Copper(II) Chloride/Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-Catalyzed Depolymerization of Poly(n-butyl methacrylate)", Michael R. Martinez, Ferdinando De Luca Bossa, Mateusz Olszewski, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. Macromolecules 2022, 55, 1, 78–87.
