Photocuring kinetics for polyfurfurylmethacrylate doped with fullerene: The influence of oxygen partial pressure on sensitivity

A new photosensitive resin, photo-oxidation induced polycondensation (POP) resin, was successfully prepared from poly(furfuryl methacrylate) (PFMA) an d fullerene C-60. The influence of oxygen supplied from ambient air into th e POP resin on the photocuring was studied. The characteristic curves for t he PFMA containing C-60 film showed that the curing sensitivity was enhance d with increased partial pressure of oxygen. The relationship between sensi tivity and oxygen partial pressure for low light intensity was explained re asonably well with a simple kinetic model. On the other hand, the sensitivi ty decreased for high light intensity. The numerical simulation indicated t hat the small oxygen solubility and small diffusivity were the cause of ins ufficient oxygen when the oxygen in PFMA was consumed promptly by high-inte nsity irradiation.