In situ monitoring of the radiation-induced polymerisation of methylmethacrylate using fluorogenic molecular probes

The application of fluorogenic probe molecules for in situ monitoring of ra diation-induced polymerisation is illustrated by measurements on the polyme risation of methylmethacrylate in a cobalt gamma-ray source. The probe mole cules fluoresce only when they are incorporated into growing polymer chains . The fluorescence intensity is therefore a measure of the degree of polyme risation. Changes in the fluorescence spectrum can in addition be used as a monitor of the changes occurring in the rigidity of the medium as polymeri sation proceeds. The method is particularly suitable for studying the abrup t changes occurring during the 'gel' or 'Trommsdorff' phase of polymerisati on, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.