NEW YORK - When Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, J.C. Warner University Professor of Natural Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, was awarded the 2015 Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences, topping the selection criteria was his 1995 development of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). ATRP is a type of “living” polymerization that slows or inserts pauses in the rapid chain reactions in which the polymer is synthesized, allowing for controlled manipulation and creation of structures and properties. Offering new and better materials for industry and consumer products, ATRP has been cited as the most important advance in polymer synthesis in half a century.
Matyjaszewski’s work in polymer chemistry follows in the tradition of Camille and Henry Dreyfus, two brothers who were chemists and major innovators for polymer materials, including cellulose acetate, fiber, film and paint. The Dreyfus Foundation biennially awards the international prize which consists of $250,000, a citation and a medal.