Selfsensitization of the Photopolymerization of Diacetylenes Studied in Multilayers

Abstract

Abstract The photoreactivity of multimolecular Langmuir‐Blodgett layers is studied with optical absorption spectroscopy. Whereas the polymerization of monomeric layers can be initiated by UV‐irradiation only, irradiation of partially polymerized layers with visible light up to λ ≤ 500 nm leads to a continuation of the reaction. The maximal polymer yield obtained with UV‐ and visible light irradiation is the same. The action spectra of the chain growth of partially polymerized layers and of the photoconductivity correspond to each other. A new mechanism of the chain growth is proposed.