4-DIMETHYLAMINOPYRIDINE AS AN INITIATOR IN THE HOMOPOLYMERIZATION OF EPOXY COMPOUNDS

I. E. DELL'ERBA; R. J. J. WILLIAMS

Los Cocos

Simposio; III Argentine-Chilean Polymer Symposium"; 2005

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba

Homopolymerization of epoxy compounds can be initiated by Lewis bases like tertiary amines. Proposed mechanisms for the anionic polymerization include several steps (initiation, propagation, chain transfer, termination), but the reaction is so complex that no satisfactory mechanism has been fully accepted so far. With commonly used initiators, anionic epoxy homopolymerization is a slow reaction with long induction periods. Besides, it leads to short primary chains, giving polymer networks with relatively low Tg. Commercial applications of these systems are limited due to these reasons. The aim of this work is to analyze the use of 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as an initiator in the anionic homopolymerization of epoxy monomers. A typical tertiary amine, benzyldimethylamine (BDMA) was used for comparison purposes. Two epoxy monomers were employed: A monofunctional epoxy (Phenyl glycidyl ether, PGE) and a bifunctional one (Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA), which led to a polymer network. Main features of the polymerization reaction and characterization of reaction products are discussed.