A novel photoinimer for the polymerization of acrylates and methacrylates

A new class of multifunctional photoinitiating system based on 3‐(acryloyloxy)‐2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate (AHM), N,N,N′‐trimethylethylenediamine (TMED) and 3‐benzoylbenzoyl chloride present in the same molecule has been synthesized and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. This self‐contained photoinitiator‐monomer (photoinimer) was used to efficiently initiate polymerization of acrylates and methacrylates. Both rate of polymerization and percentage conversion increased with increase in initiator concentration. An increment in rate of polymerization observed when the benzophenone moiety was directly attached to the parent molecule (obtained from the Michael addition reaction between AHM and TMED) appears to be due to proximity effect: chemical bonding provides a high local concentration of both components of the photo‐activated system involving benzophenone and a hydrogen atom source from an electron‐rich tertiary amine. For the three initiating systems investigated, lowering the initiator concentration plays an important role; i.e., the polymerization rate for the chemically linked system was about two times faster than the mixed initiating system. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5661–5670, 2005     

Lifetime of living polymers in cationic polymerization. II. Living polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether initiated by the hydrogen iodide/zinc halide systems

In the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) initiated by the hydrogen iodide/zinc halide (HI/ZnX₂; X = I, Br, Cl) systems, the concentration ([P^*]) of the living propagating species was determined by quenching with sodiomalonic ester ( 1 ). The quenching reaction was shown to be clean, instantaneous, and quantitative to give poly (IBVE) with a terminal malonate group from which [P^*] was obtained by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. In the polymerizations in toluene below +25°C, [P^*] was constant and equal to the initial concentration ([HI]₀) of hydrogen iodide, independent of the type and concentrations of ZnX₂ as well as monomer conversion. At 0 and +25°C, however, the living species started decaying immediately after the complete consumption of monomer. In contrast, such a decay process was absent at ?15°C even in the absence of monomer until about an hour (depending on the conditions) after the end of polymerization. The deactivation reaction was first order in [P^*], and the lifetime (half-life) of the living species was longer at lower temperature and at lower ZnX₂ concentration. On the basis of these [P^*] and lifetime measurements, the HI/ZnX₂ systems were also compared with the HI/I₂ counterpart.     

GROUP TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYL ACRYLATE WITH LEWIS ACID CATALYST

This paper reports the kinetics of group transfer polymerization (GTP)of ethyl acrylate (EA)with zinc iodide catalyst in 1,2-dichloroethane using dimethyl ketene methyl trimethylsilyl acetal (MTS) as initiator at 0℃and above 0℃. The amount of catalyst used was studied. When zinc iodide catalyst used is more than 10mol% relative to monomer, the rate of polymerization is proportional to the concentration of monomer, whereas zinc iodide catalyst used is less than 10 mol% of the monomer, the rate of polymerization is independent of the monomer concentration.In the GTP of EA an induction period was observed when the zinc iodide contents are less than l0mol%. If the reaction temperature is over 0℃, living species become unstable and diminish, leading to incomplete monomer conversion. The reaction curves equations are obtained. The polymers have narrow molecular weight distributions which are not changed as decreasing zinc iodide contents. The polydispersity is about 1.2.     

Kinetics of polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by lead tetraacetate

A systematic study of the thermal polymerization of α-chloroacrylic acid and α-bromoacrylic acid in aqueous nitric acid was carried out. The effect of variation of monomer concentration lead tetraacetate concentration, hydrogen ion concentration, ionic strength, and temperature on the rate of monomer disappearance was carried out. Based on the experimental observations, suitable reaction schemes were proposed for the polymerization of the above monomers. The rate constants and the thermodynamic parameters were evaluated.     

衰减链转移(DT)聚合醋酸乙烯酯的动力学

在醋酸乙烯酯的普通自由基聚合体系中加入少量碘（质量分数为0.57%～0.86%）,用偶氮二异丁腈作引发剂合成聚醋酸乙烯酯,对其聚合反应的动力学及反应机理进行了研究。 考察了碘质量分数对聚合反应速率、聚合物分子量及分子量分布的影响,发现随着碘浓度的增加,聚合物分子量及分子量分布得到更好的控制;对聚合过程进行了核磁跟踪,考察了聚合过程中几种化合物的变化情况,特别是初级自由基与碘生成的加合物A-I（A来自引发剂分裂后产生的自由基）及单体加合物A-Mn-I（M代表单体单元）的变化情况;对聚合物结构作了详细的1H NMR分析,结果表明,聚合过程中分子量随时间延长而逐渐增大,分子量分布随单体转化率增加而变窄,聚合终期,单体转化率达到80%左右时,所得聚合物分子量分布窄（Mw/Mn≤1.41）,且含有碘端基。该方法的自由基聚合具有活性/可控的性质。     

The Formation of Terminal Double Bonds in Vinyl Chloride Polymerization

The determination of double bonds in PVC is achieved with an increased accuracy in comparison with earlier methods by the addition of iodine monochloride (Wijs reaction) to PVC coupled with x-ray fluorescence analysis to determine the iodine content of the polymer. The number of double bonds per unit weight of polymer increases on increasing the polymerization temperature and is proportional to the number of polymer molecules. It is not affected, however, by the presence of the chain transfer agent tetrahydrofuran (THF). At the technically important polymerization temperatures of 30 to 80°C and in the absence of the chain transfer agent, 0.9 double bonds per polymer molecule are found. The number of double bonds per polymer molecule is lowered using the chain transfer agent THF. These results support the theory that the chain transfer to monomer and possibly the termination reaction are coupled with the formation of terminal double bonds. Contributions by internal double bonds formed by dehydrochlorination of the polymer during polymerization are excluded by investigating the Cl^θ content of the water phase in the oxygen-free VC suspension polymerization. No hydrogen chloride is formed. In IR spectra of PVC, the stretching vibration of the double bonds is detected at 1667 cm^?1 by the correlation of the double bond contents and the intensities of the absorption bands. The stretching vibration at 1667 cm^?1is in accordance with those of model compounds with a 1-chloro-2-alkene structure.     

Synthesis and characterization of monomers and polymers for adhesives from methyl oleate

The focus of this work is to synthesize a monomer from a fatty acid methyl ester capable of forming high molecular weight polymers. The mono‐unsaturation in the starting material, methyl oleate, was first epoxidized using a peroxy acid. This intermediate material was further modified using acrylic acid. The acrylated molecule is able to participate in free‐radical polymerization reactions to form high molecular weight polymers. The rate of polymerization was low because of the long aliphatic structure of the monomer. It is hypothesized that the polymerization reaction occurred in the interface between the particle and water, thereby slowing down the reaction. After 18 h of reaction, a monomer conversion of approximately 91% was achieved. A maximum weight‐average molecular weight of approximately 10⁶ g/mol was observed after 14 h of reaction. At early reaction times linear polymers were formed. However, as the reaction time increased, the amount of branching that occurred on the polymer molecule increased, as indicated by gel permeation chromatography and light scattering. This has been attributed to chain transfer to polymer via hydrogen abstraction from a tertiary backbone C–H bond. The resulting polymer may be of considerable interest for pressure‐sensitive adhesive applications. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 451–458, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10130     

The Synthesis and Characterization of Polyacrolein through Radical Polymerization

A radical polymerization reaction of acrolein is reported in this article. The free radical initiator which can effectively promote the free radical polymerization of acrolein is screened out. The optimal conditions of the reaction are investigated and the yield could be up to 93.67%, in which the ratio of initiator to monomer is 1:50, monomer concentration is 7.5 mol L^?1, reaction temperature is 50 °C, and the reaction time is 6 h. The structure characterizations of the obtained polymers are performed using hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of fligh mass spectroscopy. The results show that the structure of the polymer contains fragments generated by decomposition of the initiator, aldehyde groups, and vinyl groups. The reaction mechanism of acrolein polymerization in the presence of free radical initiator is proposed. Thus, a novel method for the preparation of polyacrolein via radical polymerization is provided in this article.     

Functional monomers and polymers. XXXXVI. A copolymerization study of methacryloyl-type monomers containing nucleic acid bases in chloroform solution

Behavior of the free radical copolymerization of N-β-methacryloyloxyethyl derivatives of adenine with that of thymine was studied in chloroform solution, taking account of the specific base-base interaction of these monomers. Hydrogen bonding interaction between such monomers was observed by NMR spectroscopy. The acceleration of copolymerization was found to be greater either at lower monomer concentration or at lower polymerization temperature. When N-β-methacryloyloxyethylcarbazole was used as a comonomer, the rate of copolymerization showed a similar trend as in the case of usual free radical copolymerizations. From r₁ and r₂ values obtained, the copolymerization was found to be alternating, particularly in the case of copolymerization between monomers having complementary nucleic acid bases. The results suggest that the hydrogen bonding interaction between adenine and thymine plays a role in the propagation step.     

Radiation-induced polymerization of sodium allylsulfonate at high pressure

Irradiation of sodium allylsulfonate in aqueous solution at high pressure (up to 9000 kg/cm²) gave a deliquescent white powder which is insoluble in organic solvent. The product was addition polymer of allylsulfonate from the high-resolution NMR and infrared spectra. The rate of polymerization was proportional to the third and second powers of monomer concentration in the initial and later stages, respectively. From the high dependence of the rate on monomer concentration, the reaction was deduced to proceed in an associated monomer or micelle. The rate of polymerization was increased by addition of sodium chloride. The G value for monomer consumption was about 10⁴ at high pressure, which suggests that the degradative chain transfer is not important in the polymerization. Overall activation volumes were ?7 and ?5 ml/mole in the initial and later stages, respectively.     

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).     

Kinetic study of light-induced polymerization by real-time UV and IR spectroscopy

Real time ultraviolet (RTUV) spectroscopy was used to study the photolysis kinetics of a radical-type morpholino initiator, during the polymerization of a multiacrylate monomer exposed to UV radiation in bulk, in solution, in a polyurethane-acrylate resin, and in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. The photolysis rate constant k was determined from the exponential loss profile recorded; it was found to vary between 0.1 and 3s^?1, depending on the light intensity and on the monomer concentration. The quenching of the photoinitiator excited states by the acrylate monomer was shown to be an important deactivation pathway which substantially reduces the rate of initiation. The observed influence of the film thickness and photoinitiator concentration on the k value were accounted for by the internal filter effect. Conversion versus time curves were recorded by real time infrared (RTIR) spectroscopy for the various systems examined, thus allowing a direct comparison of both the actual polymerization rate and the residual unsaturation content of the cured polymer. Various factors were shown to be responsible for the early stop of the polymerization, such as depletion of the photoinitiator, O₂ inhibition, or vitrification of the polymer. The photoinitiated cationic ring-opening polymerization of a cycloaliphatic diepoxy monomer was also studied in real time by RTUV and RTIR spectroscopy. Despite a very fast photolysis of the triarylsulphonium initiator, the polymerization of the epoxy monomer developed less rapidly than for the acrylic monomer, with shorter kinetic chain lengths. A linear relationship was found to exist between the decay rate constant and the light intensity, for both the radical and the cationic photoinitiators, as expected for a direct photolysis process.     

Effect of initiators on grafting in the initial stage of the emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate using poly(vinyl alcohol) as a protective colloid

 To make clear the reason of unsuitability of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) protective colloid for the emulsion polymerization of conjugated monomers, a model experiment of emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out with ammonium persulfate (APS) or azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) initiators, where a small amount of MMA (1/100th of the concentration compared with ordinary emulsion polymerization) was employed. This corresponds to the initial stage of the emulsion polymerization. Grafting of MMA onto PVA took place remarkably irrespective of the kind of the initiators. Formation of homo-poly(MMA) was observed to a small extent. The formation of new emulsion particles smaller than 100 nm continued to increase to almost the end of the polymerization. PVA molecules in the grafted polymer are supposed to act as stabilizers of newly formed particles. From kinetic treatment using the experimental data, the important issues were derived as follows. Firstly, the sulfate anion radical from APS is much more reactive than the isobutyronitrile radical from AIBN in terms of hydrogen abstraction from PVA. Secondly, high grafting ability of the latter initiator system, notwithstanding the much lower reactivity in the hydrogen abstraction compared with the APS system, is attributed to the relative reactivity of the primary radicals, i.e., hydrogen abstraction reaction from PVA to initiation reaction with MMA. The much slower rate of addition of the isobutyronitrile radical to the monomer compared with that of hydrogen abstraction from PVA facilitates the grafting, although the rate constant of hydrogen abstraction is far smaller than that with the sulfate anion radical by 10⁻⁴ times. Received: 26 April 2001 Accepted: 6 September 2001     

Kinetic studies of nonaqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by ferric laurate–n-hexyl amine system

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate was studied in carbon tetrachloride medium with ferric laurate, a metal soap, in combination with n-hexyl amine as the initiator system at 60°C. The rate of polymerization was found to be linear with the monomer concentration and proportional to the square root of both ferric ion and amine concentration. A reaction scheme involving initial complex formation between ferric ion and amine and subsequent reaction of the complex with the solvent molecule to produce free radicals responsible for initiation of polymerization has been postulated to account for the observed results.     

The Photochemistry of Ch3I in Various Matrices at Low Temperature

The photodissociation of methyl iodide in various matrices at low temperature was studied. The observed Raman spectra excited by 514.5 nm laser radiation showed that there were two different photolytically produced iodine species isolated in the matrices after illumination by a medium pressure mercury lamp. One species which was dominant at lower iodine concentrations and exhibited a progression with an ωe of 201 cm^?1, belonged to the matrix isolated iodine monomer (I₂). The other species, which was dominant at higher iodine concentrations with an ω_e of approximately 180 cm^?1, belonged to the iodine aggregate ((I₂)_n). Five progressions of resonance Raman or resonance fluorescence of these two species were also observed in the other matrices. The iodine aggregate in the methyl iodide matrix at 77 K was formed in a crystalline structure, while the photolytically generated iodine aggregate from CH₃I/Ar (2/3) matrix at 10 K, after illumination with a mercury lamp, was in amorphous form. The rearrangement of photolytically produced iodine aggregate in methyl iodide matrix was observed as a function of the duration of illumination. Local heating effects of the laser radiation might induce the iodine monomer to aggregate in matrices. The photodissociation mechanism of methyl iodide in matrices is also proposed.     

Role of Functional Groups in the Monomer Molecule on the Radical Polymerization in the Presence of Graphene Oxide. Polymerization of Hydroxyethyl Acrylate under Isothermal and Non-Isothermal Conditions

Functional groups in a monomer molecule usually play an important role during polymerization by enhancing or decreasing the reaction rate due to the possible formation of side bonds. The situation becomes more complicated when polymerization takes place in the presence of graphene oxide since it also includes functional groups in its surface. Aiming to explore the role of functional groups on polymerization rate, the in situ bulk radical polymerization of hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) in the presence or not of graphene oxide was investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to continuously record the reaction rate under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. Simple kinetic models and isoconversional analysis were used to estimate the variation of the overall activation energy with the monomer conversion. It was found that during isothermal experiments, the formation of both inter- and intra-chain hydrogen bonds between the monomer and polymer molecules results in slower polymerization of neat HEA with higher overall activation energy compared to that estimated in the presence of GO. The presence of GO results in a dissociation of hydrogen bonds between monomer and polymer molecules and, thus, to higher reaction rates. Isoconversional methods employed during non-isothermal experiments revealed that the presence of GO results in higher overall activation energy due to the reaction of more functional groups on the surface of GO with the hydroxyl and carbonyl groups of the monomer and polymer molecules, together with the reaction of primary initiator radicals with the surface hydroxyl groups in GO.     

Uranyl ion-sensitized polymerization of acrylamide and methacrylamide in aqueous solution

The kinetics of polymerization of the vinyl monomers, acrylamide and methacrylamide, photosensitized by uranyl ions in homogeneous aqueous acid medium was studied systematically. Monochromatic radiation of wavelengths 365, 405, and 436 mμ was used for irradiation. Uranyl perchlorate in aqueous perchloric acid (pH = 0–2) was used as the sensitizer to ensure that only uncomplexed UO₂²⁺ ions existed in the solution. Polymerization was found to proceed without any induction period, the steady state being attained in about 10–20 min., and was followed by the measurement of the rate of monomer disappearance by bromine addition method. The chain lengths of the polymers were determined by viscometry. It was observed that there was no change in the initiator concentration, [UO₂²⁺], during polymerization. The dependence of the rate of polymerization on variables like light intensity, light absorption fraction by the active species, wavelength, monomer concentration, hydrogen ion concentration, temperature, nature of the acid used (HClO₄ and H₂SO₄), viscosity of the medium etc., were studied. A kinetic reaction scheme is proposed and discussed in the light of the experimental results. Certain rate parameters were calculated. The mechanism of photosensitization by uranyl ions with specific reference to primary photochemical act, initiation of polymerization etc., are discussed.     

Predictions from the trigger mechanism for Ziegler-Natta polymerization of α-olefins

The trigger mechanism is a new concept for understanding the polymerization of α-olefins with Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The mechanism is based on the interaction of two monomers in the transition state, where an incoming monomer triggers the insertion of a complexated monomer. The monomer site is never a free site, and is thus protected from attack by Lewis bases in the reaction medium. The stereochemical discrimination is due to the interaction of the two monomers. This interaction determines the orientation of the incoming monomer, and the stereochemistry of the insertion is given when the monomer is complexated. The model predicts a reaction rate order vs. monomer concentration between 1.0 and 2.0, a reduced overall polymerization rate above a given temperature, very complex kinetics for copolymerization, a lower stereochemical discrimination for the first inserted monomer, and a high stereochemical discrimination.     

Synthesis of fully conjugated aromatic polyazomethine from AB-type monomer using soluble precursor method

A new AB-type monomer, N,N-bistrimethylsilylated p-aminobenz-aldehyde diethyl acetal was prepared via three steps from p-bromoaniline as a starting material. The two-stage polymerization involving a soluble precursor polymer process gave a poly(p-phenylenevinylene)-type polyazomethine, poly(1,4-phenylene-nitrilomethylidyne). The first stage of polymerization was carried out in tetrahydrofuran or hexamethylphosphoramide containing water at room temperature. In the second stage, the polymer was thermally converted into the final polyazomethine by heating over 300°C to form a free-standing film. The film was reddish brown and insoluble in common organic solvents. The investigation of the first-stage products by means of MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy proved the oligomers with 4-11 repeating units per molecule. From the ¹H-NMR analysis of the model reaction, the polymerization mechanism was found to be a stepwise polycondensation of 4-diethoxymethylaniline which was formed by removal of two silyl groups of the monomer.     

Polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid photoinitiated by diazidotetramminecobalt (III) azide

The kinetics of polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid in aqueous solution photoinitiated by the complex, diazidotetramminecobalt(III) was systematically studied at 35°C and pH = 3. Monochromatic radiation at γ = 365, 405, and 435 mμ was employed. The kinetics of polymerization were followed by measurements of the rates of monomer disappearance (bromometrically) and complex disappearance (spectrophotometrically) and the chainlengths of the polymers formed (viscometrically). The dependences of the rate of polymerization on variables like light intensity, light absorption by the complex, wavelength, monomer concentration, and hydrogen ion concentration were studied. The rates of polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid were found to be propertional to the square of the monomer concentration and to the first power of light absorption fraction k_e and light intensity I. A kinetic scheme is proposed in the light of experimental results involving (1) a primary photochemical act of excitation of the complex, followed by the dark reaction of electron transfer within the complex producing the azide radical; (2) initiation of polymerization by the azide radical; (3) termination of the chain process by the complex molecule.