Fluorescence Technique for Studying the Sol--Gel Transition in the Free--Radical Crosslinking Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate

Abstract

The steady--state fluorescence technique was used to study the free--radical crosslinking copolymerization [1] of methyl meth\-acryl\-ate and ethyl\-ene glycol di\-meth\-acryl\-ate in the absence and presence of toluene at 74^\circC. A sol--gel phase transition was observed and monitored by an excited aromatic molecule during the gelation of the above system. Bond percolation theory was employed to qualify the results [2,3]. The critical exponent and gel point were found to be 0.45 and 0.36 both in bulk and solution polymerization [4].