BINARY FRONTAL POLYMERIZATION - A NEW METHOD TO PRODUCE SIMULTANEOUS INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS (SINS)

We report a new method for the preparation of a simultaneous interpene trating polymer network (SIN) using a thermal propagating front of two independent and noninterfering polymerization mechanisms. The system consists of the free radical crosslinking of triethylene glycol dimeth acrylate (TGDMA) and the amine/BCl3 . amine curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The front Velocity dependence on the percenta ge of each monomer shows a minimum at 45% TGDMA. Temperature profile m easurements indicate that a single reaction front propagates. A colore d opaque material is produced, but SEM and TEM analysis were inconclus ive whether phase separation occurred. Samples as large as 5 cm in dia meter were prepared with this method. We conclude that this method sho uld be especially suited for preparing large samples of IPNs in which significant phase separation occurs. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.