Kinetic study of photoinitiated frontal polymerization

The frontal polymerization of a monomer exposed continuously to UV radiatio n in the presence of a photobleachable initiator has been studied on the ba sis of the rate equations. The time dependence of photoinitiator concentrat ion profile and that of monomer conversion within the irradiated sample hav e been calculated, assuming steady-state conditions. It is thus possible to visualize how fast the polymerization profile is moving within the sample and how effectively the polymerization of a monomer layer located at a give n distance from the surface proceeds upon exposure to UV radiation. (C) 200 1 Society of Chemical Industry.