Photoinitiability of triblock copolymer PDMS-b-(PMAEBB-co-PDMAEMA)2 as a macro-photoinitiator prepared via RAFT polymerization

Abstract

In this study, we prepared a novel triblock copolymer, PDMS-b-(PMAEBB-co-PDMAEMA)2 (tri-PI) bearing side-chain benzophenone (BP) and coinitiator amine, as a macro-photoinitiator via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of the polymerizable photoinitiator 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl-2-benzoylbenzoate (MAEBB) and the unsaturated coinitiator amine 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) with a bifunctional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) macro-chain transfer agent (macro-CTA). The structure of synthesized copolymer was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The effects of the photoinitiator/coinitiator ratio, concentration, and photoinitiator systems on the photopolymerization kinetics of tri(propylene glycol) diacrylate (TPGDA) were investigated by real-time FT-IR. The mobility of the tri-PI chain segments was proven by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the surface morphology of TPGDA curing coatings was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that tri-PI strongly suppressed the effect of oxygen inhibition on the photopolymerization system. Tri-PI was also used in the curing of UV-curable waterborne polyurethane acrylate (UV-WPUA) resin to determine its versatility.