Mechanism of plasma‐initiated polymerization: Concerning the nature of solvent effects on the lifelike polymerization of water‐soluble vinyl monomers

Abstract

Abstract To provide a satisfactory basic understanding of the solvent effect of plasma‐initiated polymerization, we have carried out several kinds of polymerizations of various water‐soluble vinyl monomers. It has been shown that aqueous solution of such vinyl monomers underwent the polymerizations induced by methyl isobutyrate (MIB) plasma‐exposed glass surface. The invisible ultrathin polymer film trapping an active radical species deposited on the plasma‐exposed glass surface apparently induced the polymerizations. The efficiency, however, was largely dependent on the solvent used: the solvent can be considered to act as “an initiation‐activator” for the lifelike postpolymerization. The nature of the solvent effect was ascribed to the physicomechanical property such as swelling ability and/or solubility toward the ultrathin film formed on the glass surface. Thus it has been suggested that the choice of good‐balanced combination between the structural feature of the plasma‐induced ultrathin polymer film and the solvent as an initiation‐activator is important to achieve activity of a desired solution polymerization.