Frontal polymerization: Polymerization induced destabilization of peracrylates

Abstract

Frontal photopolymerization has attracted much attention in the last decade as it allows the curing of thick films. Unfortunately, the use of peroxides, which feature appropriate storage stability, also requires inappropriately high initiation temperatures. Here, a new approach involving a copolymerisation- induced destabilization of (meth)acrylate-based peroxides that allows lower front temperatures is presented. The increasing degree of branching next to the carbonyl group lowers the decomposition temperature by at least 20 °C. In classical monomer formulations, sufficient storage stability is confirmed. Peroxides as thermal initiators for photoinduced "frontal polymerization" enable the induction of a polymerizing front at the surface of a formulation that migrates through the material. Due to copolymerization induced destabilization of (meth)acrylate-based peroxides, an in situ formed thermal initiator can be created, allowing lower front temperatures and formulations with sufficient storage stability. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.