Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate and some other vinyl monomers with the use of a pyridine–bromine charge-transfer complex as photoinitiator

Polymerization of MMA was carried out under visible light (440 nm) with the use of pyridine–bromine (Py–Br₂) charge-transfer (CT) complex as the photoinitiator. Initiator exponent and intensity exponent were 0.5 and 0.43, respectively, and the monomer exponent was found to be dependent on the nature of the solvent or diluent used. The Polymerization was inhibited in the presence of hydroquinone, but oxygen had very little inhibitory effect. An average value of k_p²/k_t for this polymerization system was 1.19 × 10^?2, and the activation energy of photopolymerization was 4.95 kcal/mole. Kinetic data and other evidence indicate that the overall polymerization takes place by a radical mechanism. With Py–Br₂ complex as the photoinitiator, the order of polymerizability at 40°C was found to be MMA, EMA ? Sty, MA.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate by use of a quinoline–bromine charge-transfer complex as the photoinitiator

Polymerization of MMA was carried out in presence of visible light (440 nm), quinoline-bromine charge-transfer complex being used as the photoinitiator. The initiator exponent was observed to be 0.5 up to 0.014 M initiator concentration; when chloroform was used as the solvent, the monomer exponent was found to be unity. The polymerization was inhibited in presence of hydroquinone but little inhibitory effect was observed in the presence of air. An average value of k²_p/k_t for this photopolymerization system was found to be (1.08 ± 0.22) × 10^-2. Kinetic and other evidence indicates that the overall polymerization takes place by a radical mechanism.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate and some other vinyl monomers with the use of chlorine as photoinitiator

Low concentrations (0.001–0.03M) of chlorine easily induce photopolymerization of MMA at 40°C. Kinetic data indicate that polymerization follows a radical mechanism involving complexation of monomer by the initiator and initiation takes place through radical generation during photodecomposition of the initiator-monomer complex. Termination appears to take place bimolecularly. The k_p²/k_t value for MMA polymerization at 40°C was found to be 0.83 × 10^?2. Rates of chlorine-initiated photopolymerization were found to decrease in the order MMA, EMA ? VA, Sty > MA.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate with the use of tetrahydrofuran–bromine charge-transfer complex as the photoinitiator

The polymerization of MMA was kinetically studied in the presence of visible light (using a 125-W high-pressure mercury vapor lamp with fluorescent coating, without a filter), a THF—bromine charge-transfer complex being used as the photoinitiator. The initiator exponent was 0.5 in bulk polymerization. The monomer exponent varied from about 1.2 to about 2.5, depending on the nature of the solvent used; the initiator exponent also varied in diluted systems, depending on the nature and proportion of the solvent, the variation being from a value of 0.5 in bulk system to zero or almost zero at about 25% (v/v) solvent concentration. Other kinetic parameters, viz., k_p²/k_t and the activation energy for polymerization, were determined and are reported. Kinetic and other evidence indicates that the photopolymerization takes place by a radical mechanism and termination is bimolecular in nature in bulk systems; in dilute systems, termination by initiator complex assumes predominance, particularly at high solvent concentrations (≥25% v/v).     

RADICAL PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION USING ARYLIODONIUM SALT/TERTIARY AMINE COMPLEX SYSTEM AS THE PHOTOINITIATOR

The diphenyliodonium salt (DPIOC)/triethylamine (TEA) is used as photoinitiator for radical photopolymerization. It was found that a ground state CT complex formed between DPIOC as electron acceptor and TEA as electron donor, which results in extending the photosensitivity range of DPIOC/TEA system up to above 500nm compared with DPIOC alone. The kinetic studies on photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) were carried out in CH_3CN: H_2O (14: 1, v/v) mixture solution at 30℃by dilatometer. The results obtained show that the polymerization rate (R_p) increases with increasing concentrations of DPIOC and TEA with exponent 0. 65 and 0. 62 respectively. The activation energy E_a and k_p/k_~(1/2) value were determined to be 4.1 Kcal mol~(-1) and 0.045 respectively. The other influence factors and reaction mechanism were also discussed.     

Kinetic Investigation on the Photopolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Using Iodine Trichloride as Initiator

The photopolymerization of MMA in visible light was studied at 45°C using IC1₃ as the photoinitiator. The initiator exponent was found to be 0.16 and the monomer exponent varied between 1.0 to 1.50, depending on the nature of the solvent. Analysis of the data revealed that the polymerization was induced by a free radical mechanism. Nonideality of the kinetics was explained on the basis of 1) Monomer-dependent chain initiation and 2) Initiator-dependent chain termination via degradative initiator transfer.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate with the use of iodine as the photoinitiator

Kinetics of photopolymerization of MMA at 40°C with the use of iodine as the photoinitiator was studied. At low range of iodine concentration (< 0.0004M), the rate of polymerization was proportional to square root of iodine concentration and the monomer exponent was 2.5, while at a higher range of iodine concentration, (0.0005–0.002M) the initiator exponent and monomer exponent were zero and 3.6–3.8 (i.e., close to 4), respectively. The chain-transfer constant of iodine at 40°C was found to be 6.0. Polymerization was found to be largely inhibited in the presence of relatively high concentrations of iodine (> 0.005M) and also in presence of hydroquinone. Kinetic and other data indicate a radical mechanism of polymerization involving complexation of monomer molecules with iodine prior to radical generation, and termination is believed to take place bimolecularly at low iodine concentrations and unimolecularly, involving reaction with iodine, at high iodine concentrations (initiator termination).     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate with azo-containing polydimethylsiloxane as photoinitiator: Effect of siloxane chain length

The kinetics of the free radical photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by azo-containing polydimethylsiloxane (PSMAI) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was investigated. The greater polymerization rate R_p in MMA/PSMAI systems may be due to the higher value of the initiation rate R_i and the lower value of the termination rate constant k_t than that in MMA/AIBN system. The reaction orders with respect to initiators PSMAI decreased with an increase in polydimethylsiloxane chain length (SCL) in PSMAI. The observed deviations in polymerization rate from rate equation could be explained in terms of primary radical termination. The photoinitiator efficiency Φ of initiators decreased with increase in SCL, while the ratio of the rate constants for chain termination and chain initiation by primary radical increased with SCL. The fraction β of primary radicals entering into termination in MMA/PSMAI systems were larger than that in MMA/AIBN system. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate with the use of morpholine-chlorine charge transfer complex as the photoinitiator

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was kinetically studied under photo condition using near UV visible light at 40°C and employing morpholine (MOR)–chlorine (Cl₂) charge transfer (C-T) complex as the photoinitiator. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was dependent on morpholine/chlorine mole ratio; the 1 : 2 (MOR–Cl₂) C-T complex acted as the latent initiator complex, C, which underwent further complexation with the monomer molecules to give the actual initiator complex, I. Using 1 : 2 (MOR-Cl₂) C-T complex as the latent initiator, the initiator exponent evaluated for bulk photopolymerization of MMA was 0.071 and monomer exponent determined from studies of photopolymerization in benzene diluted system was 1.10. Benzoquinone behaved as a strong inhibitor and the polymers tested positive for the incorporation of chlorine atom end groups. Polymerization followed a radical mechanism. Kinetic nonideality as revealed by low (≪0.5) initiator exponent and a monomer exponent of greater than unity were explained in terms of primary radical termination effect. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1681–1687, 1997     

Laser‐induced decomposition of 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone and benzoin in methyl methacrylate homopolymerization studied via matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Pulsed laser polymerization (PLP) experiments were performed on the bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at ?34 °C. The aim of this study was to investigate the polymer end groups formed during the photoinitiation process of MMA monomer using 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone (DMPA) and benzoin as initiators via matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry. Analysis of the MALDI‐TOF spectra indicated that the two radical fragments generated upon pulsed laser irradiation show markedly different reactivity toward MMA: whereas the benzoyl fragment—common to both DMPA and benzoin—clearly participates in the initiation process, the acetal and benzyl alcohol fragments cannot be identified as end groups in the polymer. The complexity of the MALDI‐TOF spectrum strongly increased with increasing laser intensity, this effect being more pronounced in the case of benzoin. This indicates that a cleaner initiation process is at work when DMPA is used as the photoinitiator. In addition, the MALDI‐TOF spectra were analyzed to extract the propagation‐rate coefficient, k_p, of MMA at ?34 °C. The obtained value of k_p = 43.8 L mol^?1 s^?1 agrees well with corresponding numbers obtained via size exclusion chromatography (k_p = 40.5 L mol^?1 s^?1). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 675–681, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10150     

Effect of pyridine on the kinetics of polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by benzoyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile at 60°C

Solution polymerization of MMA, with pyridine as the solvent and BZ₂O₂ and AIBN as thermal initiators, was studied kinetically at 60°C. The monomer exponent varied from 0.45 to 0.91 as [BZ₂O₂] was increased from 1 × 10^?2 to 30 × 10^?2 mole/liter in a concentration range of 8.3-4.6 mole/liter for MMA. For AIBN-initiated polymerization the monomer exponent remained constant at 0.69 as [AIBN] varied from 0.4 × 10^?2 to 1.0 × 10^?2 mole/liter in the same concentration range for MMA. The k²_p/k_t Value increased in both cases with an increase in pyridine concentration in the system. This was explained in terms of an increase in the k_p value, which was due presumably to the increased reactivity of the chain radicals by donor-acceptor interaction between the molecules of solvent pyridine and propagating PMMA radicals and in terms of lowering the k_t value for the diffusion-controlled termination reaction due to an increase in the medium viscosity and pyridine content.     

Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Using Acridone-Bromine Combination as the Photoinitiator

The photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in visible light was studied at 40°C using the acridone-bromine (acridone-Br₂) combination as the photoinitiator. The polymerization was found to proceed via a free radical mechanism, and the radical generation process was considered to follow an initial complexation reaction between monomer and each initiator component (acridone and Br₂), followed by further interaction between these two initiator-monomer complexes. Kinetic data indicated a lower-order dependence of R on initiator concentrations (initiator exponent < 0.5). Initiator-dependent chain termination was signifi-cant along with the usual bimolecular mode of chain termination. The monomer exponent varied from about 1.00 to 2.00, depending on the nature of solvents used. The nonidealities in this system were also analyzed.     

4-N,N-Dimethylamino-4'-Isopropylbenzophenone as polymerization photoinitiator. Effect of solvent and photoinitiator concentration on its photoreactivity and on the polymerization process

Several kinetics aspects of the methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization using 4-dimethylamino-4'-isopropylbenzophenone (PI) as photoinitiator have been studied. The order of the polymerization reaction with respect to monomer and initiator concentrations have been investigated, as well as the polymerization behavior under well-stirred and unstirred conditions; values of initiation quantum yield (?_i) and k_p/k_t^1/2 have also been determined. It has been found that the nature of the polymerization-initiating radicals depends on the type of solvent and the photoinitiator concentration ([PI]). In cyclohexane solution and at low [PI] (< 5 x 10^-5M), the cyclohexyl radical is practically the only polymerization initiating radical, while at higher [PI] both radicals, cyclohexyl and the aminoalkyl derived from PI, participate in the initiation step, increasing the participation of the later as the [PI] increases. When benzene is used as solvent both phenyl and aminoalkyl radicals participate in the initiation step at any [PI] employed. Efficiencies of the radicals derived from solvent and photoinitiator have been determined.     

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate using a combination of rhodamine 6G and benzoyl peroxide as photoinitiator in nonaqueous media

Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in visible light was studied at 40°C using Rhodamine 6G—Benzoyl peroxide combination as photoinitiator. The photopolymerization proceeds by a free radical mechanism and the radical generation process occurs by an initial complexation reaction between the initiator components. Kinetic data indicated a lower-order dependence of R_p on initiator concentrations (initiator exponent < 0.5). Initiator-dependent chain termination was significant along with the bimolecular mode of chain termination.     

Studies on Photopolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Using Sulfur Dioxide-Halogen Combinations as Initiators

Free radical photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in visible light was studied at 40°C using sulfur dioxide-halogen (Cl₂, Br₂, and I₂) combinations as photoinitiators. Of the three SO₂/halogen systems, only the SO₂/Br₂ combination formed an interesting initiating system due to 1:1 complexation between the two components resulting in pronounced enhancement of the rate of photopolymerization over those produced by each of the initiator components when used as a lone photoinitiator. Photopolymerization of MMA induced by (SO₂-Br₂) complex (1:1) as the photoinitiator exhibited a low initiator exponent value, 0.26, and a monomer exponent value of 1.5. Kinetic nonidealities were explained on the basis of (a) monomer-dependent chain initiation and (b) significant initiator-dependent chain termination along with the usual bimolecular mode of chain termination.     

Vinyl polymerization. 275. Polymerization of vinyl monomers photosensitized by tetramethyltetrazene

A study of the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers in the presence of tetramethyltetrazene (TMT) was made. TMT was found to act as an effective sensitizer. In the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers such as methyl methacrylate or styrene the rate of polymerization was expressed by the equation: R_p = k[TMT]^1/2[monomer]. The chain-transfer constant of TMT under ultraviolet irradiation was estimated to be 3.8 × 10^?2 for the above monomers. A linear correlation was found to exist between the reactivity of dimethylamino radical toward the vinyl monomers and e values for the corresponding monomers.     

Effect of triphenyl phosphite on the radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate

The effects of triphenyl phosphite (TPP) on the radical polymerization of styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated with α,α,-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was investigated at 50°C. The rate of polymerization of St and MMA at a constant concentration of TPP was found to be proportional to the monomer concentration and the square root of the initiator concentration. The rate of polymerization and the degree of polymerization of both St and MMA increased with increasing TPP concentration. The accelerating effect was shown to be due to the decrease of the termination rate constant k_t with an increase in the viscosity of the polymerization systems. The chain transfer constant C_tr of TPP in St and MMA systems was determined from the degree of polymerization system. The C_tr of TPP was almost zero in the St system and 6.5 × 10^?5 in the MMA system.     

KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF PHOTOINDUCED POLYMERIZATION BY α,α-DIMETHOXY-α-PHENYL ACETOPHENONE

α,α-dimethoxy-α-Phenyl acetophenone (DMPA) is an efficient and thermally stable photoinitiator. Here its spectral characteristics in the transient state were shown. The transient species were identified as a benzoyl radical and a dimethoxyi benzyl radical that played a primary initiation role in polymerization. The kinetics and mechanism of the bulk polymerization of MMA were investigated. The exponent of DMPA concentration and k_p/k_1~(1/2) value were found to be 0.5 and 0.066 mol(-1/2)l~(1/2)s~(-1/2), respectively. The existence of oxygen led to obtain the polymer with higher molecular weight, which can be attributed to the occurrence of the subsequent polymerization induced by active polymer end group. In the photocrosslinking reaction, the dependence of DMPA content on initial rate has been found. A principal reason is that the sample contained higher percentage of DMPA has higher light-absorbed efficiency. In solid film, higher concentration of DMPA is permitted to be used because there is little excited state self-quenching effect in the rigid medium.     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate using isatoic anhydride–bromine donor–acceptor complex as the photoinitiator

Isatoic anhydride (IA) alone did not initiate photopolymerization of methyl metacrylate (MMA) at 40°C when exposed to visible light for about 180 min. But IA, when used in combination with bromine (Br₂) as the initiator, initiated the photopolymerization of MMA readily under the same conditions. This behavior was explained by the formation of a donor-acceptor type of complex between IA and Br₂ in the presence of MMA. The polymerization was found to proceed via a free radical mechanism and the radical generation process was considered to follow an initial complexation reaction between the initiator components and monomer. The complex initiator showed nonideal kinetics for the present system (initiator exponent < 0.5) and was analyzed. The monomer exponents varied from 0.83 to 1.15 normally depending on the nature of solvent used. Initiator-dependent chain termination was significant as well as the bimolecular mode of chain termination. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Methyl methacrylate as solvent for the thermal decomposition of the cyclic molecule pinacolone diperoxide: Toward the polymerization process

The decomposition rate constant (k_d) of pinacolone diperoxide (PDP, 3,6‐diterbutyl‐3,6‐dimethyl‐1,2,4,5‐tetraoxacyclohexane) in methyl methacrylate (MMA) is determined by the kinetic study of its thermal decomposition at temperatures from 110 °C to 140 °C. The calculated k_d values for PDP are higher than the corresponding values previously determined and reported for diethyl ketone triperoxide (DEKTP, 3,3,6,6,9,9‐hexaethyl‐1,2,4,5,7,8‐hexaoxacyclononane), for example, at 140 °C the k_d for PDP is 75.4 × 10^?5 s^?1, while for DEKTP, it is 50.6 × 10^?5 s^?1. The difference in the k_d between 130 °C and 140 °C indicates that the decomposition mechanism, sequential and/or concerted, is a function of temperature. The conformations of both initiators justify the higher k_d for PDP in MMA than DEKTP, where one single conformer is found for PDP, whereas 212 conformers are found for DEKTP. Bulk polymerization of MMA using PDP as the initiator reveals also the presence of an induction period, such as in DEKTP case. This work provides mechanistic insights into the interactions among the bifunctional cyclic peroxide PDP and the MMA monomer and their influence on the polymerization kinetics. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 997–1007