One-step, one-pot photoinitiation of free radical and free radical promoted cationic polymerizations

Hybrid free-radical and cationic photo-polymerization of bio-based monomers derived from seed oils – control of competitive processes by experimental design

Experimental design helps define optimal compositions for a 3-component photo-initiating system for IPNs synthesized from mixed epoxidized and acrylated triglycerides.

Cationic Polymerization: From Photoinitiation to Photocontrol

During the last 40 years, researchers investigating photoinitiated cationic polymerizations have delivered tremendous success in both industrial and academic settings. A myriad of photoinitiating systems have been developed, thus allowing polymerization of a broad array of monomers (e.g., epoxides, vinyl ethers, alkenes, cyclic ethers, and lactones) under practical, inexpensive, and environmentally benign conditions. More recently, owing to progress in photoredox catalysis, photocontrolled cationic polymerization has emerged as a means to precisely regulate polymer chain growth. This Minireview provides a concise historical perspective on cationic polymerization induced by light and discusses the latest advances in both photoinitiated and photocontrolled processes. The latter are exciting new directions for the field that will likely impact industries ranging from micropatterning to the synthesis of complex biomaterials and sequence-controlled polymers.

Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reactions for Macromolecular Syntheses

Photochemical reactions, particularly those involving photoinduced electron transfer processes, establish a substantial contribution to the modern synthetic chemistry, and the polymer community has been increasingly interested in exploiting and developing novel photochemical strategies. These reactions are efficiently utilized in almost every aspect of macromolecular architecture synthesis, involving initiation, control of the reaction kinetics and molecular structures, functionalization, and decoration, etc. Merging with polymerization techniques, photochemistry has opened up new intriguing and powerful avenues for macromolecular synthesis. Construction of various polymers with incredibly complex structures and specific control over the chain topology, as well as providing the opportunity to manipulate the reaction course through spatiotemporal control, are one of the unique abilities of such photochemical reactions. This review paper provides a comprehensive account of the fundamentals and applications of photoinduced electron transfer reactions in polymer synthesis. Besides traditional photopolymerization methods, namely free radical and cationic polymerizations, step-growth polymerizations involving electron transfer processes are included. In addition, controlled radical polymerization and "Click Chemistry" methods have significantly evolved over the last few decades allowing access to narrow molecular weight distributions, efficient regulation of the molecular weight and the monomer sequence and incredibly complex architectures, and polymer modifications and surface patterning are covered. Potential applications including synthesis of block and graft copolymers, polymer-metal nanocomposites, various hybrid materials and bioconjugates, and sequence defined polymers through photoinduced electron transfer reactions are also investigated in detail.

Visible-Light Initiated Free-Radical/Cationic Ring-Opening Hybrid Photopolymerization of Methacrylate/Epoxy: Polymerization Kinetics, Crosslinking Structure, and Dynamic Mechanical Properties

The effects of polymerization kinetics and chemical miscibility on the crosslinking structure and mechanical properties of polymers cured by visible-light initiated free-radical/cationic ring-opening hybrid photopolymerization are determined. A three-component initiator system is used and the monomer system contains methacrylates and epoxides. The photopolymerization kinetics is monitored in situ by Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance. The crosslinking structure is studied by modulated differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. X-ray microcomputed tomography is used to evaluate microphase separation. The mechanical properties of polymers formed by hybrid formed by free-radical polymerization. These investigations mark the first time that the benefits of the chain transfer reaction between epoxy and hydroxyl groups of methacrylate, on the crosslinking network and microphase separation during hybrid visible-light initiated photopolymerization, have been determined.

Photochemical Methods for the Preparation of Complex Linear and Cross-linked Macromolecular Structures

In this contribution, the current state of the art is summarized and an overview of photoinitiating systems for both radical and cationic polymerizations and their potential application in the preparation of complex linear and cross-linked macromolecular structures are described. Recent relevant studies have been devoted to developing novel free radical and cationic photoinitiators having spectroscopic sensitivity in the near-UV or visible range. Photoinitiated controlled radical polymerization methods leading to tailor-made polymers with predetermined structure and architecture are briefly presented. Several synthetic methodologies for the preparation of epoxy and (meth)acrylate based formulations containing clay or metal nanoparticles are also summarized. The nanoparticles are homogenously distributed in the network without macroscopic agglomeration. Applicability to both free radical and cationic systems is demonstrated.

Phenacyl onium salt photoinitiators: synthesis, photolysis, and applications

Onium salts, namely sulfonium, phosphonium, ammonium, and pyridinium salts containing phenacyl group are photoinitiators appropriate for the polymerization of monomers such as oxiranes and vinyl ethers, which are not polymerizable by a free-radical mechanism. The initiation is accomplished by direct or indirect (sensitized) photolysis of the salts. Depending on the type of the salt, the direct photoinitiation of cationic polymerization involves reversible or irreversible processes. The photolysis of phenacylsulfonium compounds proceeds by a reversible process, while the other types undergo irreversible photolysis leading to complete fragmentation of the photoinitiator. An additionally useful tool, namely photosensitized generation of initiating species enlarges the versatility of these salts as photoinitiators. Photoinitiated free-radical and zwitterionic polymerizations by using phenacyl-type salts are also addressed. Keto-enol tautomerization of phenacyl pyridinium salts is discussed. Moreover, an interesting application concerning in situ synthesis of clay-poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites with the aid of the phenacyl anilinium salt-based photopolymerization technique is noted.