title: Laser-assisted high-pressure-induced polymerization of 2-(hydroxyethyl)methacrylate.
abstract: We report on a successful room-temperature polymerization of 2-(hydroxyethyl)methacrylate (HEMA) under high pressure. The polymerization is observed in a limited range of pressures 0.1 to 1.6 GPa without the use of any initiator. When the compressed sample is irradiated at 488 or 355 nm by a laser, the polymerization reaction rate is increased by a factor of 10 or 30, respectively. Moreover, the shift of the laser wavelength to the UV improves the polymerization yield of the recovered sample to 84%. The catalysis of the polymerization process by light results from a one-photon-assisted electron transfer to π* antibonding states of the monomer molecule. The observed polymerization is irreversible and almost complete, which makes this synthesis process suitable for applications.
authors: Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, CNRS, Université Paris 13 , Sorbonne Paris Cité, 93430 Villetaneuse, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Evlyukhin
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Museur
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Traore
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Nikitin
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Zerr
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kanaev
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004583:Electrons; D007700:Kinetics; D007834:Lasers; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D017785:Photons; D058105:Polymerization; D011312:Pressure; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D008689:Methacrylates; C005044:hydroxyethyl methacrylate