Laser vibrational overtone activation of ethyl acrylate/benzoyl peroxide mixture

Intra- and extracavity laser vibrational overtone polymerization of ethyl acrylate/benzoyl peroxide mixture has been demonstrated. Five photolysis wavenumbers on and near the fifth CH stretch overtone absorption of benzoyl peroxide was investigated. The polymer yield was monitored by observing the decrease in the intensity ratio of the olefinic/methyl and methylenic first CH stretch overtone absorptions of ethyl acrylate. The rate of the polymerization did not depend on the photolysis wavenumber. Molecular weights of the overtone initiated polymers were an order of magnitude larger than those obtained by thermal polymerization. The polymerization rate is compared to the intracavity laser vibrational overtone polymerization of methyl methacrylate.