Gas‐free initiation for free‐radical frontal polymerization through charge transfer complexes

Abstract

AbstractFrontal polymerization is a process in which a localized reaction zone propagates through the coupling of thermal transport and the Arrhenius kinetics of exothermic polymerization. Most initiators that have been used produce volatile by‐products, which create bubbles and voids. Tetraalkyl ammonium persulfates have been used but these require synthesis and do not have long shelf lives. A charge transfer complex (CTC) composed of an iodonium salt, and a phosphine compound has been identified as a gas‐free initiator for free‐radical thermal frontal polymerization. This CTC has 4‐(dimethylamino)phenyldiphenly phophine (DMAPDP) as the donor and p‐(octyloxyphenyl)phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate as the acceptor (IOC‐8). The CTC was tested with several acrylates, and all were found to support bubble‐free fronts. We determined the CTC mole ratio for some monomers at which the front velocity reaches a plateau.