The photocopolymer rod of ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate with methylmethacrylate

The photocopolymerization of ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) with methylmethacrylate (MMA) containing benzoin methyl ether (BME) as initiator was carried out in a glass tube to fabricate a light‐focusing plastic rod (radius Rp) with a parabolic refractive index distribution (distribution constant A) in the region near the center axis (radius Rc). The dependence of A and Rc/Rp on MMA/EGDMA feed ratio, influence of BME concentration on the refractive index distribution, and the reproducibilities of the photopolymerizations were investigated. The Rc/Rp increased with the feed ratio used under BME = 1.0 wt.‐% at velocity of UV lamp V = 0.58 mm/min. On the other hand, Rc/Rp increased with the feed ratio to 0.2 and then decreased remarkably with the feed ratio in the range of 0.2–0.25 with BME = 0.6 wt.‐% at V = 0.735 mm/min. Plastic rods fabricated in the investigation using photopolymerization have lens characteristics and good reproducibilities.