Weight Of PMMA Research Articles

Phase behavior of the carbon dioxide/toluene/poly(methyl methacrylate) ternary system

Carbon dioxide/organic polymer/solvent systems have several industrial applications, including supercritical polymerization. Various process parameters affect the phase behavior of these systems, thereby influencing the process design. Accordingly, the phase behavior of a carbon dioxide (CO2)/toluene (Tol)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ternary system was investigated in this study. Measurements were performed using a synthetic method combined with laser displacement and turbidity measurement. Bubble points (vapor–liquid phase separation) were determined from changes in the piston displacement, whereas cloud points (liquid–liquid (LL) phase separation) were determined from changes in the turbidity The phase boundaries of CO2 mass fractions ranging from 0.098 to 0.577 were measured by varying the Tol/PMMA ratio. The homogeneous phase area decreased when the ratio of PMMA to Tol increased, molecular weight of PMMA increased, and/or temperature decreased. These changes in the LL phase separation behavior were explained with reference to the free volume (vf) and solubility parameter (δ) estimated using the Sanchez–Lacombe equation of state. The estimation of vf and δ is expected to be helpful in comprehensively understanding the phase diagram and in predicting the phase behavior of CO2/organic solvent/polymer systems.

Synthesis and properties of transparent PMMA/cellulose nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization in green solvent

AbstractIn order to contribute to the demanded sustainability transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) up to high shares of 50 wt% were prepared by in situ radical polymerization in green solvent Cyrene. The weight average molecular weights of PMMA were in the range from 144,000 to 160,000 g mol−1 and the dispersity was in the range of 1.49 to 1.89 with high conversion of monomer to polymer. The DSC thermal analysis showed that the glass transition temperature of pure PMMA was at 99°C while in composites increased from 103°C up to 129°C with the increase of CNC from 1 wt% to 50 wt%. TGA shows that the addition of CNC does not have a significant effect on the thermal stability of PMMA. In composites Young's modulus increases with the increasing CNC ratio and composites with 50 wt% of CNC showed more than twice the modulus of the PMMA matrix. The SEM images indicate uniform distribution of CNC in polymer matrix. The transparent and semitransparent PMMA/cellulose composites of improved sustainability with higher modulus of elasticity and glass transition temperature can be used as lightweight materials for a wide range of technical and everyday applications as well as optical lenses or acoustic lenses for ultrasound transducers and other devices.Highlights Cellulose nanocrystals/PMMA composites fabricated by a green in situ process. Synthesized PMMA matrices have high molecular weights. Improved elastic modulus and glass transition temperature were achieved. Prioritizing eco‐friendly chemicals for a greener production approach.

Unravelling the role of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) molecular weight in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/PMMA/expanded graphite (ExGr) blend nanocomposites: Insights into morphology, thermal behavior, electrical conductivity, and wetting property

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) based conducting polymer composites with carbon nanomaterials can be used for mechanical energy harvesting through piezoelectric or triboelectric effect. This study aims to investigate the influence of PMMA molecular weight on the electrical, thermal, and wetting properties of PVDF/40 wt.% PMMA blend nanocomposites reinforced with expanded graphite (ExGr). The blend nanocomposites with 40 wt.% PMMA have been prepared by solution blending method by using two different molecular weights of PMMA whose melt flow indices are 2 g/10 min and 2.3 g/10 min. The coexistence of the electroactive gamma and non-polar alpha phases of PVDF in the blend nanocomposites has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. While overall crystallinity (%) of low molecular weight PMMA employed blend nanocomposites is lower than that of high molecular weight PMMA blended nanocomposites, the electroactive gamma phase has been found to increase in the former blend nanocomposites. The dispersion of graphite nanosheets has been observed to be better in high molecular weight PMMA employed blend nanocomposites which results in higher electrical conductivity. Impedance analysis of PVDF-40 wt.% PMMA-2 wt.% ExGr blend nanocomposite with high molecular weight PMMA results in enhanced interjunction capacitance (74.5 pF) in comparison to low molecular weight PMMA mixed blend nanocomposites (68 pF). Water contact angle (WCA) increases with molecular weight of PMMA and ExGr loading level. Thermogravimetric analysis has shown that the char content (above 500°C) is slightly higher for the blend with low molecular weight PMMA than with high molecular weight PMMA.

Altering Water Effect and Surface Properties of Heat Cured Poly Methyl Methacrylate by Adding Surface Treated Titanium Di Oxide Nano Particles

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is extensively used part of our regular life. It can be observed in various commonly utilized goods & customer imports for instance drugs, plastics, cosmetics, food and paper. Universally, the quantity of titanium oxide manufactured in 2009 was 4.68 million tons for that reason the tenacity of the revision is controlling the amount of change on the denture base physical features such as the heat treatment in denture processing (PMMA)through the implementation of modified outer surface titanium di oxide Nano particles. Its properties are comprised of water solubility, surface roughness, water sorption and surface hardness. The contr olled TiO2 powder added to heat cured acrylic material according to the main weight of PMMA in concentration of 3% , 5% and 7%, and then it's mixed regularly by engine of probe ultra-sonication. Titanium oxide Nano fillers were m erged in denture based material with the help of more free radical polymerization in bulk. The nanoparticles were surface treated by a layer of trime thoxysilypropylmethacrylate (TMSPM). 120 specimens were created and separated into 3 sample sets affording to the examination (each sample sets consist of 40 samples) and each sample sets were sectioned in four subsets according to the TiO2 added ratio and ultimately containing 10 samples in each subset. The tests which conducted were indentation hardness (shore D), surface roughness properties as well as water sorption and solubility. For each test four of the sub groups (one control led and three with added Nano TiO2). Important to mention that extremely elevation in surface hardness score and roughness were detected at the ratio of 3%, 5%and7%. Thus escalation of added TiO2 nan-fillers considerably reduced the water solubility and sorption. The accumulation of the powder of TiO2 nanoparticles which have been surface treated to the PMMA acrylic resin thus changing the PMMA properties for example surface rigidity and surface coarseness. In which it’s increased in direct proportional relation with the raise of TiO2 concentration; at the same time addition of surface treated TiO2 Nano particles decrease water sorpt ion and solubility of (PMMA) also in direct proportional relation with the raise of TiO2 concentration.

The implication of PMMA molecular weight on compatibility of SAN/PMMA blends containing GO-g-PMMA hybrid compatibilizers

The molecular weight of a polymer is one of the most important factors defining material properties and performance. Within the current study, poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (SAN/PMMA) blends containing hybrid particles of graphene oxide-g-poly(methyl methacrylate) (GO-g-PMMA) were designed so that the molecular weight of the PMMA chains tethered on the GO particles was correlated with the molecular weight of the PMMA matrix. Hybrid particles were prepared using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The number average molecular weight of the matrix PMMA was Mn = 20,100 or 130,900 g/mol, while in the case of hybrids it was Mn = 5600, 27,300 or 191,600 g/mol. Two blend compositions were investigated: SAN/PMMA= 70/30 and 90/10 wt/wt, and the content of GO-g-PMMA was 1 wt%. Based on rheological studies it was demonstrated that higher molecular weights of the matrix PMMA promoted the compatibility of SAN/PMMA due to the similar viscosity of both blend components. Furthermore, the length of the PMMA chains grafted to the GO influenced the viscoelastic response of the material, resulting in different relaxation behavior as confirmed by mean relaxation times calculated from Cole-Cole plots. In addition, the effect of neat GO and GO-g-PMMA particles on the blend morphology and size distribution of PMMA droplets was discussed based on rheology and TEM analyses.

Photo Stabilizing Efficiency Of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Based On Metal Ion Complexes Of Saccharine

The photostabilization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films having saccharine complexes of Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes was investigated. The production of PMMA films containing such complexes (0.5% by weight) was carried out by the casting method using THF. The photostabilization activities of the compounds were determined by monitoring the carbonyl and hydroxyl index with irradiation time. Evaluation of stabilizing efficiency of PMMA by ultra-violet spectroscopy to investigate photodecomposition rate constant (kd) for PMMA films in the absence and presence of saccharine complexes. The changes in the viscosity average molecular weight of PMMA with irradiation time were evaluated. The rate of photostabilization for PMMA in the presence of the additives was found to follow the order Ni(sac) > Cu(sac) > Zn(sac) > Cd(sac) > Hg(sac) > Fe(sac). Depending on the structure of the additive, such as a peroxide decomposer, UV absorption or a radical scavenger for the photostabilizer. Keywords: Photodegradation, UV stabilizers, PMMA, Saccharine.

Preparation of graded materials for miscible polycarbonate/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends by segregation under shear flow

AbstractExposure to shear flow produced by a pressure‐driven capillary rheometer provides a concentration gradient without phase separation in miscible polymer blends of bisphenol‐A polycarbonate containing low‐molecular‐weight poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The strand surface extruded from the rheometer contains a large amount of PMMA. However, the strand is transparent because there is no light scattering due to phase separation. The segregation behavior, that is, enrichment of the PMMA content at the strand surface, is enhanced when the molecular weight of PMMA is low. Furthermore, the segregation is also enhanced at high temperatures and at high shear rates. By contrast, the die length barely affects the degree of segregation. The segregation phenomenon should be noted because it may facilitate the modification of the surface properties of various products.

Fabrication of cylindrical microlens array using rotatable multi-arrayed needle coating module for light out-coupling of OLEDs

We have performed coatings of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using a rotatable multi-arrayed needle coating module to achieve high-density and high-aspect-ratio cylindrical microlens arrays (C-MLAs) for potential applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It is shown that high-density C-MLAs can be fabricated by rotating the coating module in such a way that the spacing between microlenses can be reduced (tuned). To enhance the aspect ratio of C-MLAs, we have analyzed the coating behaviors by varying the material parameters such as the molecular weight of PMMA, solute concentration, and wettability of the PMMA solution. It is demonstrated that high-aspect-ratio C-MLAs can be achieved using a coating solution with a small amount of a hydrophobic solvent, in which a high concentration of low-molecular-weight PMMA is dissolved. To further enhance the aspect ratio, we have come up with a new process method; repetitive coating and pre-drying treatment in ambient air. Such a repetitive coating method is shown to boost the microlens thickness without a much compromise on the microlens width. With this scheme, we have fabricated the C-MLA with the average thickness of 22.6 μm and width of 125 μm (aspect ratio as high as 0.18) at a coating velocity of 3 mm/s. The light out-coupling efficiency of OLED with the C-MLA increases by 20%, which is in good agreement with the result by ray tracing simulations.

Effect of PMMA Molecular Weight on Its Localization during Crystallization of PVDF in Their Blends.

In miscible crystalline/amorphous polymer blends, the exclusion behaviors of the latter with various molecular weights during the crystallization of the former were investigated by the combination of SAXS and DSC by taking a PVDF/PMMA blend as an example. The ratio between internal crystallinity from SAXS and overall crystallinity of the entire blend from DSC was employed to characterize the exclusion of PMMA. Our results indicate that the molecular weight of the amorphous component produces a remarkable influence on the diffusion coefficient (D) and the crystal growth rate (G) of the crystalline component. There are both inter-lamellar and inter-fibrillar structures when PVDF blended with lower-molecular-weight PMMA. With increasing molecular weight of PMMA, the decrease in crystal growth rate (G) dominates the enhanced exclusion behaviors of PMMA, resulting in bigger pores after extraction. Our results are significant not only for the basic understanding of crystallization in polymer blends, but also for the fabrication and structure control of porous structures based on crystallization templates.

Blending modification to porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes prepared via combined crystallisation and diffusion (CCD) technique

PVDF membranes prepared by the combined crystallisation and diffusion (CCD) technique, a variation of ice templating, have shown permeation rates far superior to those made via conventional methods such as nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) or thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). However, so far the smallest pore size achieved for PVDF membranes prepared by CCD is about 30 nm. In this study, the pore size of CCD PVDF membranes is reduced to 15 nm by blending poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) into PVDF-dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) dope solutions without altering the operational conditions. Systemic study shows the pore size reduces when increasing PMMA concentration in the membranes; but after an initial drop compared to the pure PVDF membrane, the pure water flux doesn't decline with PMMA concentration. The effect of different molecular weights of PMMA (120 kDa and 35 kDa) was also investigated, where the results showed a smaller pore size for membranes prepared using the higher molecular weight PMMA. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cloud-point temperature measurement and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterise the membranes and help understand how PMMA affects membrane formation. From the evidence gathered, we attribute the effects of PMMA to the change in the number of nucleation centres, diffusional rates, as well as the gelation point based on a previously proposed CCD mechanism.

Effect of molecular weight to the structure of nanocellular foams: Phase separation approach

Nanocellular foam is one of the most exciting research areas in foam research. Creating nanocellular foams of high expansion ratio with a cell size lower than 100 nm is still a challenge. In this study, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) of three different molecular weights, namely PMMA-H, PMMA-M, and PMMA-L, were foamed using the two-step solid-state foaming method to create nanocellular foams. The results showed that the molecular weight of PMMA is one of the critical factors that affect the preparation of PMMA nanofoam. Open-cell nanocellular foams with a cell size of approximately 30–40 nm and cell density of 1016 cells/cm3 were successfully prepared using PMMA-H. The relative density of the foam is between 0.25 and 0.41. Qualitative phase diagrams were created based on saturating temperature, foaming temperature, and molecular weights. Phase separation theory may explain the formation of closed- or open-cell foam with spinodal decomposition contributing to nanosized open cell structure.

Formation of PLA stereocomplex crystals during melt-blending of asymmetric PLLA/PDLA/PMMA blends of varying miscibility

Polylactide (PLA) enantiomers of poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) were melt-blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and compression-molded at a temperature between the melting points of PLA homocrystals (Tm,HC) and stereocomplex (SC) crystals (Tm,SC), causing the selective formation of SC crystallites. The degree of crystallinity of the SC crystals (χc,SC) did not change with the PMMA weight fraction but did vary with changes in the weight ratio of PLLA to PDLA. From differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) measurements, the miscibility of PLA and PMMA was confirmed, but the formation of SC crystals during melt-blending induced phase separation into PLA-rich and PMMA-rich phases. The formation of homocrystals was hindered by increases in the weight fraction of PMMA and χc,SC. The thermal and viscoelastic properties of the PLLA/PDLA/PMMA blends were also affected by the PMMA weight fraction and χc,SC. According to the DMA results, the storage modulus of the ternary blends with higher χc,SC values showed a gentler decrease at the glass transition temperature; the ternary blends also exhibited a higher storage modulus than the PLLA/PMMA blends at high temperatures near Tm,HC. PDLA weight fraction dependence of stereocomplex crystallinity χc,SC for PLLA/PDLA/PMMA blends with PDLA weight fractions of 5, 10, and 20 wt%.

ARGET ATRP of Triblock Copolymers (PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA) and Their Microstructure in Aqueous Solution.

Triblock copolymers poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA) with designed molecular weight of PMMA and PEO blocks were synthesized via the activator regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of MMA. The Br-terminated Br–PEO–Br with the molecular weights of 20k and 100k were used as macroinitiators. ARGET ATRP was performed with ppm level amount CuBr2 as the catalyst and ascorbic acid as the reducing agent to overcome the sensitivity to oxygen in a traditional ATRP. The molecular weight of the PMMA block was manipulated by changing the molar ratio of monomers to the Br–PEO–Br macroinitiators. The synthesis of PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA and its structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and 1H NMR, and the molecular weight of the PMMA block was determined by 1H NMR. Aqueous solutions of PMMA-b-PEO-b-PMMA were prepared by solvent-exchange, and their microstructures were examined by tensiometry, static light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of molecular weight of the PMMA and PEO blocks on the microstructure were elucidated.

Investigation on the Properties of PMMA/Reactive Halloysite Nanocomposites Based on Halloysite with Double Bonds.

PMMA/reactive halloysite nanocomposites were firstly prepared using reactive halloysite with double bonds. The halloysite was functionalized to improve its dispersion in the polymer matrix. The reactive halloysite could increase the molecular weight of PMMA. The molecular distribution of PMMA/reactive halloysite nanocomposite was more uniform than that of PMMA. The moisture absorption of PMMA/reactive halloysite nanocomposite increased with the addition of the reactive halloysite. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed that the thermal stability of PMMA/reactive halloysite nanocomposites was greatly enhanced. Significant improvement in the mechanical property of PMMA nanocomposites was achieved by the addition of 3 wt % reactive halloysite. A 31.1% increase in tensile strength and a 64.2% increase in Young’ modulus of the nanocomposites with 3 wt % of the reactive halloysite were achieved. Finally, the formation mechanism of PMMA/reactive halloysites nanocomposites was proposed. This approach demonstrated the potential for general applicability to other polymer nanocomposites.

Crystallization and concentration fluctuation of miscible poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends containing carbon nanotubes: Molecular weight dependence of poly(methyl methacrylate)

In this work, poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PVDF/PMMA) blend (50/50, wt/wt) and its blend composites containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs, 0.2 and 0.5 wt%) were prepared. Two types of PMMA with relatively large (PMMA-L) and small (PMMA-S) molecular weights were used to prepare the materials. It was observed that PVDF had higher crystallization ability in the samples containing PMMA-S. CNTs exhibited nucleation effect on the crystallization of PVDF and their nucleation efficiency was influenced by the molecular weight of PMMA. Rheological measurements showed that concentration fluctuation occurred during the melt annealing process even if the blend should be miscible at this temperature range, and more apparent concentration fluctuation was observed for the samples containing PMMA-S. Incorporating CNTs restrained the concentration fluctuation of the blend under the shear condition. Further results showed that larger concentration fluctuation in the melt state facilitated the higher crystallization ability of PVDF in the subsequent cooling process.

Incorporating an Inert Polymer into the Interlayer Passivates Surface Defects in Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

The hysteresis effect and instability are important concerns in hybrid perovskite photovoltaic devices that hold great promise in energy conversion applications. In this study, we show that the power conversion efficiency (PCE), hysteresis, and device lifetime can be simultaneously improved for methylammoniumlead halide (CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Clx ) solar cells after incorporating poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) into the PC61 BM electron extraction layer (EEL). By choosing appropriate molecular weights of PMMA, we obtain a 30 % enhancement of PCE along with effectively lowered hysteresis and device degradation, adopting inverted planar device structure. Through the combinatorial study using Kelvin probe force microscopy, diode mobility measurements, and irradiation-dependent solar cell characterization, we attribute the enhanced device parameters (fill factor and open circuit voltage) to the surface passivation of CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Clx , leading to mitigating charge trapping at the cathode interface and resultant Shockley-Read-Hall charge recombination. Beneficially, modified by inert PMMA, CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Clx solar cells display a pronounced retardation in performance degradation, resulting from improved film quality in the PC61 BM layer incorporating PMMA which increases the protection for underneath perovskite films. This work enables a versatile and effective interface approach to deal with essential concerns for solution-processed perovskite solar cells by air-stable and widely accessible materials.

Surface morphology of PMMA/boehmite hybrid nanostructures prepared via facile one-pot process

In this study, we developed the novel aqueous-based PMMA/AlOOH hybrid by a one-pot process starting from their relevant precursors in a controlled manner. Starting chemical reactions directly from precursors and the sequence of adding reactants provide the possibility towards enhancing the homogeneity of the final product. Inorganic and organic segments were made compatible by means of oleic acid as a coupling agent. Boehmite to PMMA weight ratio as the main parameter was varied from 0 to 18% and the morphology, particle size, size distribution, and topography map of hybrids was shown to be composition dependent. Final PMMA/Bo nanohybrids were characterized using FTIR to confirm the chemical interactions between inorganic and organic segments. TEM analysis showed that nanohybrid particles with irregular shapes containing inorganic particles dispersed in the organic matrix are formed with an average diameter which depends on boehmite content. The presence of phase transformation of Bo makes PMMA/Bo hybrids significantly thermally stable. According to AFM topography map analysis and relevant Gaussian fit function, the roughness of nanocomposite, the size of hybrid nanoparticles and deviation from the mean value (size) were increased as Bo increases from 0 to 18.

Tailoring molecular weight of polymeric dielectric to enhance electron and hole mobilities in polymer field-effect transistors

Abstract Polymer field-effect transistors (PFETs) are promising candidates for future electronics due to easy and inexpensive fabrication. Poly{[ N , N ′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5′-(2,2′-bithiophene) [P(NDI2OD-T2)] based PFET devices with poly (methyl 2-methylpropenoate) (PMMA) as dielectric were fabricated successfully and it was found that the charge transporting behaviors were greatly impacted by the molecular weight of PMMA. Both hole and electron mobilities were improved simultaneously with increasing molecular weight of PMMA. In addition, similar result was also obtained in the PFETs based on a semiconductor, poly{[ N , N ′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide-2,6-diyl-alt-5,5′-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2′-(E)-2-(2-(thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)thiophene]}. Furthermore, the corresponding complementary-like inverters with PMMA displayed a gain value of 100. We studied the interface between the semiconducting and dielectric layers and found that the low trap density with higher-molecular-weight PMMA attributes to high mobilities of electrons and holes. This work provides a new way to fabricate high-performance PFETs and to improve performance of the complementary circuits through studying the effects of polymeric gate dielectrics, compared to the conventional view of semiconducting materials.

Effect of the composition on the morphology and mechanical properties of nanoporous carbon monoliths derived from phenol–formaldehyde/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Abstract

Modification of linear prepolymers to tailor heterogeneous network formation through photo-initiated polymerization-induced phase separation

Polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) was studied in ambient photopolymerizations of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) modified by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The molecular weight of PMMA and the rate of network formation (through incident UV-irradiation) were varied to influence both the promotion of phase separation through increases in overall free energy, as well as the extent to which phase development occurs during polymerization through diffusion prior to network gelation. The overall free energy of the polymerizing system increases with PMMA molecular weight, such that PIPS is promoted thermodynamically at low loading levels (5 wt%) of a higher molecular weight PMMA (120 kDa), while a higher loading level (20 wt%) is needed to induce PIPS with lower PMMA molecular weight (11 kDa), and phase separation was not promoted at any loading level tested of the lowest molecular weight PMMA (1 kDa). Due to these differences in overall free energy, systems modified by PMMA (11 kDa) underwent phase separation via Nucleation and Growth, and systems modified by PMMA (120 kDa), followed the Spinodal Decomposition mechanism. Despite differences in phase structure, all materials form a continuous phase rich in TEGDMA homopolymer. At high irradiation intensity (Io = 20 mW/cm2), the rate of network formation prohibited significant phase separation, even when thermodynamically preferred. A staged curing approach, which utilizes low intensity irradiation (Io = 300 μW/cm2) for the first ∼50% of reaction to allow phase separation via diffusion, followed by a high intensity flood-cure to achieve a high degree of conversion, was employed to form phase-separated networks with reduced polymerization stress yet equivalent final conversion and modulus.