Photopolymerization kinetics and volume shrinkage of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate at different temperature

Photopolymerizaiton has become a well-accepted technology and was widely used in various commercial applications. Curing temperature had important influence on the photopolymerization kinetics. Polymerization shrinkage was one of the primary reasons leading to some deficiencies of photopolymerization materials. In this article, low temperature photopolymerization kinetics of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate at solid state were investigated by using differential scanning photocalorimetry and real-time FTIR spectroscopy. Both the results showed that conversion and polymerization rate decreased with the decrease of curing temperature and initiator concentration. Because the testing principle of the two methods were different, the results investigated by real-time FTIR spectroscopy was larger than that investigated by differential scanning photocalorimetry. The volume shrinkage in low temperature was investigated by using reflective laser scanning and it also decreased with the decrease of curing temperature and initiator concentration.

► Low temperature photopolymerization of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate at solid state could occur.
► Conversion decreased with the decrease of temperature and initiator concentration.
► Polymerization rate decreased with the decrease of temperature and initiator concentration.
► The conversion investigated by real-time FTIR spectroscopy was larger than that investigated by photo-DSC.
► Volume shrinkage decreased with the decrease of temperature and initiator concentration.