Understanding the reactivity of photoinitiating systems for photopolymerization

Abstract

The reactivity of photoinitiating systems (PIS) of polymerization reactions is the subject of many research works. Investigation of primary processes involved in PIS is largely based on time resolved laser spectroscopy techniques, mainly through the well known transient absorption spectroscopy (TRAS). Recently, transient infra-red spectroscopy, laser induced photoacoustic calorimetry, photoconductivity were introduced in order to collect useful information on the excited states which were not easily accessible by TRAS. By now, molecular modelling calculations performed at high level of theory are shown to provide unique thermodynamical data on the processes that govern the overall efficiency of PIS. A new approach that combines both experimental and theoretical aspects was found very promising for the understanding of the photochemical and chemical processes involved in photopolymerization reactions.