A method for synthesizing an acryloyl-based copolymer, the method comprising: providing a free radical initiator with a solution comprising monomeric repeating units, a chain transfer agent, and an organic solvent to form a reaction mixture, in which: the monomeric repeating units comprise a first monomeric repeating unit having formula, a second monomeric repeating unit having formula or, and optionally a third monomeric repeating unit having formula: in which: R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently chosen from divalent C 4 -C 7 aliphatic groups and divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C 1 -C 6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combination thereof, where: the divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups of R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 comprise one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R 1, R 3, R 4, or R 5 is two; and the organic solvent is monoethylene glycol; and initiating a polymerization reaction in the reaction mixture to polymerize the monomeric repeating units, thereby synthesizing the acryloyl-based copolymer. providing a free radical initiator with a solution comprising monomeric repeating units, a chain transfer agent, and an organic solvent to form a reaction mixture, in which: the monomeric repeating units comprise a first monomeric repeating unit having formula, a second monomeric repeating unit having formula or, and optionally a third monomeric repeating unit having formula: in which: R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently chosen from divalent C 4 -C 7 aliphatic groups and divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C 1 -C 6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combination thereof, where: the divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups of R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 comprise one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R 1, R 3, R 4, or R 5 is two; and the organic solvent is monoethylene glycol; and the monomeric repeating units comprise a first monomeric repeating unit having formula, a second monomeric repeating unit having formula or, and optionally a third monomeric repeating unit having formula: in which: R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently chosen from divalent C 4 -C 7 aliphatic groups and divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C 1 -C 6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combination thereof, where: the divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups of R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 comprise one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R 1, R 3, R 4, or R 5 is two; and R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently chosen from divalent C 4 -C 7 aliphatic groups and divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups, optionally substituted with one or more C 1 -C 6 aliphatic groups, heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, or combination thereof, where: the divalent C 4 -C 7 heteroaliphatic groups of R 1, R 3, R 4, and R 5 comprise one or two heteroatoms independently chosen from O, N, and S, and the maximum number of heteroatoms in R 1, R 3, R 4, or R 5 is two; and the organic solvent is monoethylene glycol; and initiating a polymerization reaction in the reaction mixture to polymerize the monomeric repeating units, thereby synthesizing the acryloyl-based copolymer.