Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, USA
Abstract:
Photopolymerization kinetics of difunctional thiols with alkenes were studied. Two of the thiols, trans‐1,4‐bis(mercaptomethyl)cyclohexane (CHDMT) and 1,4‐bis(mercaptomethyl)benzene (BDMT) were synthesized. The CHDMT was synthesized via a two step process using potassium thioacetate and hydrochloric acid as reagents. The BDMT was synthesized by a one step process using 1,4‐benzenedimethanebromine with thiourea and potassium hydroxide as reagents. Three types of alkenes (divinyl ether, diallyl ether, and dimethacrylate) were reacted with CHDMT, BDMT or 1,8‐octanedithiol (ODT). The photopolymerization was investigated with and without a photoinitiator. The kinetics of the thiol‐ene photopolymerization was investigated by time‐resolved infrared spectroscopy. It was proposed that the steric hindrance of the cyclohexane (CHDMT) resulted in a lower rate of photopolymerization compared to BDMT and ODT. The vinyl ether (alkene) exhibited the highest activity compared to allyl ether and acrylate which was attributed to a high electron density of the alkene. Incorporation of photoinitiator increased the reaction rate and final conversion of the system, particularly in the ODT system.
