UV-Curable Bismaleimides Containing Poly(dimethylsiloxane): Use as Hydrophobic Agent

11 pagesInternational audienceThe synthesis and characterization of poly(dimethylsiloxanes) bearing maleimides end-groups (PDMSM) were carried out through imidization of maleic anhydride with three poly(dimethylsiloxanes) diamines of different molecular weights. Self-photopolymerization of PDMSM was studied by Real-Time Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (RT-FTIR) and was possible even without photoinitiator (Darocur 1173). The reaction was found to proceed within seconds upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation to generate highly crosslinked polymer networks. The results indicated that these polymerizations were less sensitive to oxygen inhibition than the radical processes carried out on conventional UV-curable acrylate resins. The thermal and mechanical properties of these resulting materials were studied starting from PDMS precursors with different molecular weights. These materials exhibit a low glass transition temperature (