Photoacid and Photobase Generators: Prospects and Their Use in the Development of Polymeric Photosensitive Systems

Abstract

Abstract This article describes the recent progress in the preparation of a set of compounds which can generate acids or bases upon irradiation of light. These compounds are called photoacid generators and photobase generators, respectively. Photoacid generators can be divided into two groups according to their characteristics; i.e., ionic- and non-ionic compounds. Photobase generators are fewer than photoacid generators. These compounds are widely used in the field of polymeric photosensitive systems such as photoinitiated polymerization, photoinduced crosslinking of polymers and oligomers, photoinduced degradation of polymers, and photoinduced transformation of functional groups in polymer chains. In particular, this article focuses on the applications of photoacid and photobase generators to promote the development of photoresist and UV curing materials.