INVESTIGATIONS FOR OBTAINING SEMIINTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS BASED ON MONOMERS OF DIFFERENT REACTIVITY TOWARD RADICALS

Classically, the one-step synthesis of interpenetrating polymer networ ks (IPNs) and related materials requires noninterfering polymerization modes to achieve distinct networks, held together by only physical en tanglements. For the combination of (meth) acrylic and allylic monomer s, both polymerizable by free radicals, a new in situ sequential synth esis for obtaining semi-IPNs is proposed. Using specific initiators th at decompose at two different temperatures, refractive index measureme nts, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic mechanical a nalysis have shown that neat species are formed and that the two monom ers do not copolymerize.