The main limitation of UV-induced crosslinking reactions is related to the hindering of UV-light penetration towards thickness of the formulations, which limits this polymerization technique in the preparation of thick composite materials. This limitation has been overcome by the introduction of a Radical Induced Cationic Frontal Polymerization (RICFP) process1-3. The suggested mechanism put together the so-called Radical Induced Cationic Polymerization (RICP) with Frontal Polymerization (FP). UV-cured bulk epoxy composites were successfully produced by Radical Induced Cationic Frontal Polymerization (RICFP); it was shown that the FP is started by the dissociation of a radical, thermal initiator (RTI) promoted by the heat released during surface UV-induced cationic ring-opening polymerization. Subsequently, the carbon-centred radicals are oxidized to carbocations by the presence of the iodonium salt PAG in a RICP mechanism.<br/><br/>

Successful UV-Curing of epoxy composites

255th National Meeting (2018)

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