Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate with the triethylamine‐bromine charge transfer complex as photoinitiator

Abstract

AbstractThe triethylamine‐bromine (TEA‐Br2) charge transfer complex was employed as photoinitiator in the photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate under light of 440 nm. The initial rate of conversion was 0.418%/min with an induction period of 56 min. The initiator and monomer exponents were 0.5 and 1.0, respectively. The polymerization was inhibited in the presence of hydroquinone but oxygen had a very little inhibitory effect. The value of k/kt was 5.13 · 10−2 l/mol · s and the activation energy was 19.18 kJ/mol. The rate constant for the decomposition of the charge transfer complex (kε) was 4.61 · 10−6 1/s. Kinetic data and other evidence indicate that the overall polymerization takes place by a radical mechanism.