Hybrid systems of epoxides, which undergo cationic ring-opening polymerization, and acrylates, which undergo free-radical polymerization, have been shown to reduce oxygen sensitivity and shrinkage stress during photopolymerization.  However, slow reaction and low conversion of the epoxides, as well as phase separation of the two polymer networks, remain problematic.  In this research, these problems are mitigated by inducing the activated monomer (AM) mechanism through use of a hydroxyl-containing acrylate.  Facilitating this chain transfer mechanism increases epoxide kinetics and covalently bonds the two polymer networks.  The extent and impact of these effects on the kinetics, as measured by conversion in real time, and polymer physical properties, as measured by the tan delta peak, were determined by altering the acrylate content in the hybrid formulations.  The amount of hydroxyl-containing acrylate provides substantial control of the epoxide kinetics and the overall polymer network homogeneity.

Enhancing kinetics and tuning physical properties via grafted networks of epoxide/acrylate hybrid photopolymerizations

254th National Meeting (2017)

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