Fluorescence technique to study free-radical polymerization of 2-vinylnaphthalene

A novel technique based on steady-state fluorescence measurements was intro duced to study free-radical polymerization of 2-vinylnaphthalene (2VN). Bot h spectroscopic and kinetic studies of polymerization of 2VN in toluene sol ution have been carried out over the temperature range between 50 and 70 de greesC. The effective radius of interaction of 2VN required for excimer for mation was found to be around 3.5 nm. The product of reaction rate constant k(p) and steady-state radical concentration [M .], k(p)[M .] was calculate d for 2-vinylnaphthalene (2VN) polymerization carried out at the temperatur es 50, 60, 65, and 70 degreesC. A sudden change in the value of k(p)[M .] w as observed above 60 degreesC, indicating that polymerization proceeds effe ctively just at and above this temperature.