Binary frontal polymerization: A new method to produce simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SINs)

We report a new method for the preparation of a simultaneous interpenetrating polymer network (SIN) using a thermal propagating front of two independent and noninterfering polymerization mechanisms. The system consists of the free radical crosslinking of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TGDMA) and the amine/BCl3 · amine curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The front velocity dependence on the percentage of each monomer shows a minimum at 45% TGDMA. Temperature profile measurements indicate that a single reaction front propagates. A colored opaque material is produced, but SEM and TEM analysis were inconclusive whether phase separation occurred. Samples as large as 5 cm in diameter were prepared with this method. We conclude that this method should be especially suited for preparing large samples of IPNs in which significant phase separation occurs.