Frontal Polymerization in Aqueous Conditions
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For large scale industrial processing the use of water as green solvent, as well as the application of energy efficient process techniques is of high interest for a variety of polymer syntheses. UV initiated frontal polymerization of acrylic acid in aqueous formulations, for the production of hydrogels, fits perfectly both requirements. While UV-triggering of the thermal process offers numerous advantages the formation of bubbles during the frontal reaction itself and during the initiation can be fatal.
By providing a new sulfate-sulfonyl thermal initiator we are able to report the first bubble free steady state thermal front reaction in water initiated by UV-light, which could be investigated reproducible with regard to the initiation process.
P. Potzmann, F. Lopez Villanueva, R. Liska: "UV-Initiated Bubble-Free Frontal Polymerization in Aqueous Conditions"; Macromolecules, 48 (2015), 24; S. 8738 - 8745.