Photoinitiated Polymerization of New Hybrid Monomer Containing Vinyl Ether and (Methyl) Acryloyl Groups

The photopolymerization kinetics of 4-(vinyloxy)butyl methacrylate containing cationic and free radical polymerizable vinyl groups was studied by real-time Fourier transform infrared spectra (RT-FTIR). The cationic polymerizable vinyl ether moieties(Vc) of the hybrid monomer in solution polymerized rapidly by exposure to UV light in presence of a cationic photoinitiator such as an iodonium salt or suflonium salt. High conversions, of 90%, were obtained for most of the systems investigated. The efficiency of the cationic photoinitiators in initiating the polymerization of the vinyl ether moieties (Vc) of the hybrid monomer was in the order: suflonium salt > iodonium salt. The free radical polymerizable methacrylate groups (Vr) of the hybrid monomer in solution polymerized by exposure to UV light in presence of a radical photoinitiator such as 2,4,6-trimethyl benzoyl diphenylphoshine oxide (TPO), 2-isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX), Phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (Irgaure 819), 2-Methyl-4'-(methylthio)-2-morpholinopropiophenone (Irgaure 907). Among the photoinitiators, the best effect in initiating the polymerization of methacrylate groups (Vr) of the hybrid monomer is initiator Irgaure 907.