INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF POLY(3,4-EPOXY-1-BUTENE) IN FREE RADICAL PHOTOPOLYMERIZATIONS

ABSTRACT

The use of poly(3,4-epoxy-1-butene) (polyEPB) in photoinduced free radical polymerizations has been investigated. It was observed that the inclusion of polyEPB into these photopolymerizations has several beneficial effects. In combination with aromatic ketones, polyEPB functions as a hydrogen donor to form a highly effective photoinitiator for the polymerization of acrylate monomers. At the same time, polyEPB undergoes facile autoxidation that serves to mitigate inhibition effects due to oxygen during free radical photopolymerizations. PolyEPB is an effective chain transfer agent that tends to increase both the rate and conversion in photoinduced crosslinking polymerizations in which multifunctional monomers are employed. Lastly, polyEPB is a interesting matrix-modifying agent that becomes incorporated into the resin matrix during photopolymerization due to photoinduced grafting reactions.