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Laser interferometric technique for measuring polymer cure kinetics
Author(s) -
Dudi O.,
Grubbs W. T.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19991128)74:9<2133::aid-app3>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - curing (chemistry) , materials science , photoinitiator , photopolymer , laser , refractive index , michelson interferometer , interferometry , kinetics , polymer , composite material , acrylate , polymerization , optics , copolymer , optoelectronics , physics , monomer , quantum mechanics
An optical interference apparatus for the analysis of polymer curing kinetics is described. The device employs a helium‐neon laser and a home‐built Michelson interferometer to measure refractive index variations and film thickness variations during film polymerization. The refractive index variation provides a phenomenological measure of the extent of cure. The technique is demonstrated by collecting interferometric curing profiles for a UV photocurable acrylate resin formulation. Systematic comparisons of curing profiles are made as a function of UV illumination intensity and photoinitiator concentration. Several aspects of the curing process are characterized by these interferometric measurements, such as film shrinkage, gel point formation, and the kinetics of photopolymerization inhibition. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 2133–2142, 1999