Curing of polymer composites - I. NMR characterization of component monomers

The curing of monomers is a widespread procedure in the commercial use of p olymers. This paper discusses the way in which NMR may be used to probe the in situ curing of monomer mixtures commonly encountered in the manufacture of contact lenses. Spectral lines are identified which monitor curing with time of individual components in the monomer mix. This information underpi ns an understanding of the overall curing dynamics and provides important g uidance in establishing suitable protocols in the manufacturing process. As a precursor to this goal, this paper reports on the characterization of a number of commonly encountered component materials by high resolution H-1 a nd C-13 NMR. The efficacy of the overall procedure is demonstrated. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science Ltd. All nights reserved.