| Abstract: | Different types of tridimensional polymer networks have been synthesized by photoinitiated polymerization of difunctional monomers blended to an epoxidized natural rubber. The crosslinking reaction was followed by infrared spectroscopy and shown to proceed extensively within less than 1 s for the cycloepoxy, vinyl ether, and acrylate monomers used. By acting as a plasticizer, the monomer was found to markedly accelerate the ring-opening polymerization of the epoxy groups of the rubber chain. Cationic polymerization continues to proceed effectively after the UV-exposure, until total consumption of the epoxy groups. The nature of the comonomer has a strong influence on the properties of the crosslinked rubber. Low-modulus polymers were obtained with divinyl ether monomers, while hard but still flexible films were obtained with dicycloepoxy and diacrylate monomers. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
