The development of advanced materials based on well‐defined polymeric architectures is proving to be a highly prosperous research direction across both industry and academia. Controlled radical polymerization techniques are receiving unprecedented attention, with reversible‐deactivation chain growth procedures now routinely leveraged to prepare exquisitely precise polymer products. Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is a powerful protocol within this domain, where the unique chemistry of thiocarbonylthio (TCT) compounds can be harnessed to control radical chain growth of vinyl polymers. With the intense recent focus on RAFT, new strategies for initiation and external control have emerged that are paving the way for preparing well‐defined polymers for demanding applications. In this work, the cutting‐edge innovations in RAFT that are opening up this technique to a broader suite of materials researchers are explored. Emerging strategies for activating TCTs are surveyed, which are providing access into traditionally challenging environments for reversible‐deactivation radical polymerization. The latest advances and future perspectives in applying RAFT‐derived polymers are also shared, with the goal to convey the rich potential of RAFT for an ever‐expanding range of high‐performance applications.

Recent developments in polymerization reactions utilizing thiocarbonylthio compounds have highlighted the surprising versatility of these unique molecules. The increasing popularity of reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization as a means of producing well‐defined, ‘controlled’ synthetic polymers is largely due to its simplicity of implementation and the availability of a wide range of compatible reagents. However, novel modes of thiocarbonylthio activation can expand the technique beyond the traditional system (i.e., employing a free radical initiator) pushing the applicability and use of thiocarbonylthio compounds even further than previously assumed. The primary advances seen in recent years are a revival in the direct photoactivation of thiocarbonylthio compounds, their activation via photoredox catalysis, and their use in cationic polymerizations. These synthetic approaches and their implications for the synthesis of controlled polymers represent a significant advance in polymer science, with potentially unforeseen benefits and possibilities for further developments still ahead. This Research News aims to highlight key works in this area while also clarifying the differences and similarities of each system.

A low cost, highly flexible and environmentally friendly water generation method known as interfacial solar steam generation (SSG) has recently been popularized by many researchers due to the continuously increasing water demand and widening wealth gap around the world. In this perspective, factors determining SSG performance are gathered and highlighted in two different categories, heat and water management. This perspective also identifies challenges that hinder the practical applications of SSG, such as the lack of a standardized energy conversion efficiency calculation, understanding the water evaporation mechanism, understanding the heat flow from the ambient environment to the three-dimensional SSG, focusing solely on the evaporation rate (R_v) while ignoring vapor collection efficiency, and the relatively single function that is unable to cope with complex external environments (i.e., anti-fouling). This perspective also discusses current trends in multifunctional applications of SSGs, such as antimicrobial and energy generation properties, and provides insights into future research prospects for SSGs.