A method of producing a polymer comprises the steps of forming a
heterogeneous reaction mixture comprising at least one addition
polymerizable monomer, a supercritical fluid, and a stabilizer, wherein
the stabilizer comprises a chain which is soluble in the supercritical
fluid and functional end-group which is not polymerizable by a
free-radical mechanism, and polymerizing said at least one monomer in the
reaction mixture. In a preferred system for polymerizing acrylic monomers,
the fluid comprises supercritical carbon dioxide and the stabilizer
comprises an acid-functionalized perfluoropolyether.
