Polymerization mechanisms of the induced traveling wave type

Potential sources of the induced conversion wave operative during the polym erization in the absence of heat and mass transfer are considered. It is sh own that a stationary temperature field gives rise to the conversion wave. However, only a quasifrontal regime of polymerization is realized for the u sual observation times, whereby the width a of the conversion profile is co mparable with (or less than) the characteristic size L of the system. A qua sifrontal regime is also established in the case of a monotonic distributio n of concentration of the initial monomer or an initiator (or a reagent in the polymer matrix). In contrast to these mechanisms, a monotonic dependenc e of the initial inhibitor concentration on the spatial coordinate may give rise to the conversion wave having a narrow profile width a much less than L. In all cases; the conversion label (corresponding to a narrow conversio n interval observed) propagates iol the system like a traveling wave. Exper imental data for the photopolymerization of butylglycidyl ester show that t he induced conversion wave propagation may be determined by the geometry an d characteristics of equipment used in the process.