REAL-TIME MONITORING OF POLYMERIZATION RATE OF METHYL-METHACRYLATE USING FLUORESCENCE PROBE

The steady-state fluorescence technique was used to study the polymeri zation rate and the autoacceleration due to the gel effect in free-rad ical polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Pyrene was used as a fluor escence probe for the in situ polymerization experiments. The times re quired for the onset of the gel effect were recorded for various polym erization temperatures. A simple kinetic model was used to validate th e experimental data. The results show that the fluorescence technique can be used to follow the onset of the gel effect and the activation e nergy during the polymerization processes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science L td.