Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of saccharide

Abstract

AbstractPhotopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in aqueous solution of saccharide was investigated. Glucose, cellobiose, maltose, and fructose accelerated the photopolymerization in the hard glass system, but α‐methyl‐d‐glucoside was inactive. On the other hand, on remarkable effect of saccharide except fructose was observed in the quartz glass system. A conversion in the hard glass system increased with irradiation time and with concentration of saccharide, which showed the effect in the order of ketose > aldose > nonreducing saccharide. Scission of glucosidic bonds and decomposition of reducing groups of saccharide molecule took place in the quartz glass system, but there was no reduction in the reducing power of saccharide in the hard glass system. By studying the ESR of the photoirradiated system containing saccharide, MMA, and water, no radical of saccharide was found in hard glass systems, but an increase in growing radical of MMA was clearly observed in systems with the coexistence of ketose and aldose, while α‐methyl‐d‐glucoside was inactive. It is believed, therefore, that both ketose and aldose contribute effectively to initiate the photopolymerization without any change in their own structures. On the other hand, reducing groups of saccharide play a very important role in the sensitizing action of the initiation.