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  • Accessing photo-based morphological control in phase-separated, cross-linked networks through delayed gelation.

Accessing photo-based morphological control in phase-separated, cross-linked networks through delayed gelation.

European polymer journal (2015-05-09)
Caroline R Szczepanski, Jeffrey W Stansbury
ABSTRACT

This work presents an approach to extend the period for phase separation, independent of temperature, in ambient phase-separating photopolymerizations based on the copolymerization of structurally similar mono- and di-vinyl monomers. Copolymer resins composed of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (EGMEMA) were modified with a thermoplastic prepolymer, poly(butyl methacrylate). With increasing EGMEMA modification into the bulk TEGDMA resin, there is a decrease in the initial reaction rate, which increases the time for development of compositionally different phases prior to network gelation. The period between phase separation and gelation was probed through optical and rheological measurements, and it was extended from 22 s in a TEGDMA resin to 69 s in a TEGDMA:EGMEMA copolymer, allowing these materials to be processed under a wide range of UV-irradiation intensities (300 µW cm

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
N,N′-Disuccinimidyl carbonate, ≥95%
Sigma-Aldrich
Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, contains 80-120 ppm MEHQ as inhibitor, 95%
Sigma-Aldrich
Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, contains 200 ppm monomethyl ether hydroquinone as inhibitor, 99%