KINETICS OF PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION OF BUTYL ACRYLATE IN DIRECT MICELLES

The o/w microemulsion polymerizations of butyl acrylate photoinitiated by UV light were investigated. The rate-conversion curve showed two r ate intervals with the maximum rate at ca. 10% conversion. The final c onversion was much below 100%. The rate of polymerization, the particl e size, the number of particles, the molecular weights and the limitin g conversion increased with increasing monomer concentration. The numb er of particles was found to increase with increasing conversion. The particles grew by both agglomeration and propagation events. The rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to the 0.7th power of t he incident light intensity. The photolysis of the monomer swollen emu lsifier micelles generated the initiating radicals. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.