Photocrosslinking of functionalized rubber. II. Photoinitiated cationic polymerization of epoxidized liquid natural rubber

Abstract

Abstract Low molecular weight epoxidized natural rubber has been crosslinked within seconds by UV irradiation in the presence of a triarylsulfonium salt. The photoinitiated cationic ring‐opening polymerization was studied quantitatively by infrared spectroscopy and shown to proceed with surprisingly long kinetic chains in such solid medium. The high conversion (60%) needed for complete insolubilization, together with the presence of tetrahydrofuran structures, argue in favor of an intramolecular polymerization process involving neighboring epoxy groups. The photoinitiator concentration has a strong influence on the rate and extent of the reaction, as well as on the depth of cure profile. Because of an efficient dark process, close to 100% conversion was reached upon storage of the irradiated elastomer at ambient, with a concomitant increase of the gel fraction and the polymer hardness. The grafting of pendent acrylate groups onto the polymer chain leads to a three‐fold decrease of the initial rate of polymerization of the epoxide. The photocuring of natural rubber bearing both epoxy and acrylate groups generates a dual polymer network which combines the properties of the two moieties. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.