Study of Photoinitiated Radical Copolymerization and Sequences of Acrylate-Vinyl Ether Systems

Abstract

Acrylate-vinyl ether copolymerization was analyzed by real-time FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, confirmed that vinyl ethers were readily polymerized with acrylates in radical mechanism. Polymerization process of each monomer was monitored independently by real-time FTIR. While acrylate conversion was close to 100 %, vinyl ether conversion decreased as vinyl ether fraction in formulation increased. Conversion and copolymer compositions were determined by ¹H NMR. It was found that any continuous vinyl ether sequences was not produced as a result of sequence analysis by ¹³C NMR as well as real time FTIR kinetics. ¹³C NMR study also indicated that propagating acrylic terminal was more reactive with vinyl ether monomer, than with acrylate.