RADIATION CURING OF POLY-METHYL-METHACRYLATE USING A VARIABLE POWER MICROWAVE SOURCE

Microwave curing has recently been used as an alternative to thermal c uring in some thermosetting resins. Advantage of the process includes better process control, faster curing times as well as the ability to operate the process as part of a continuous conveying system. This pap er reports on the study performed on the microwave curing of methyl-me thacrylate monomers. The tacticity of the polymer was analysed in-situ by NMR spectroscopy and compared with results obtained using a therma l approach. The results indicate that the tacticity for both were simi lar. The degree of conversion was also determined using IR spectroscop y and plotted with time for microwave curing, and the results compared with thermal curing.