Continuous Distribution Kinetics for Photopolymerization of Alkyl Methacrylates

The photopolymerization of methyl, ethyl, butyl, and hexyl methacrylates in solution was studied. The effect of initial initiator and monomer concentrations on the time evolution of polymer concentration, , and PDI was examined. The reversible chain addition and β‐scission, and primary radical termination steps were included in the mechanism along with the classical steps. The rate equations were derived using continuous distribution kinetics and solved numerically to fit the experimental data. The regressed rate coefficients compared well with the literature data. The model predicted the instantaneous increase in and PDI to steady state values. The rate coefficients exhibited a linear increase with the size of alkyl chain of the alkyl methacrylates.