Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate using dichloroacetic acid and dimethylaniline combination as photoinitiator

71-76Photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in bulk and in solution at 40°C using dichloroacetic acid-dimethylaniline (DCAA-DMA) combination as photoinitiator has been studied kinetically. Initiator exponent and k/kt values are ~ 0.27 and 1.30 x 10-2 dm3.mol-1.s-1 respectively, while the monomer exponent is 1.0 in benzene and pyridine but in situ. The radical generation process is dependent on the nature of the solvent used. The role of different solvents in modifying the initiation or radical generation process is analysed. The kinetic non-ideality in respect of low initiator exponent (< 0.5) is explained on the basis of significant initiator dependent termination through primary radicals or via degradative transfer to initiator