Expanding Photopolymer

[gkan]

Hello everyone,

I have already asked a couple of polymer experts about this and I didn't get an answer, but I have found time and again that if no one can help you, Eng Tips is the way to go

Anyway, I am in need of a UV curing photopolymer that expands during polymerization. Now ideally, I would like it to cure in near-UV wavelengths and double its volume. I know masterbond has some products that cure in 405 nm instead of the classic 365 but I am not aware of any polymer that expands during polymerization. However, it is also ok if the expansion is the product of bubble formation due to the release of a gas during polymerization.

Has anyone heard of anything similar to this?

Thanks in advance,

George

 

[ornerynorsk]

Henkel is big into UV cure adhesives. They might be worth a look.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[Demon3]

Almost all monomers contract when polymerized. The exception is cyclic monomers which expand but slightly. Nowhere near a doubling. To expand by that much you will have to combine it with some other additive to boost the expansion.

Dr. Chris DeArmitt - FRSC

http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdearmitt/

 

[gkan]

Thank you for your replies!

Demon3, I was thinking about doing something like that. My thought was to mix some silver nitrate or some other substance that reacts when exposed to light and use it to create tiny bubbles in the polymer. Are you talking about something like that or did you have some other additive in mind?

Best,

George

 

[Demon3]

I had Expancel expandable microspheres in mind. They expand a lot when heated. Other options exist as you point out.

Dr. Chris DeArmitt - FRSC

http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdearmitt/

 

[AeoN909]

Gkan,

Did you had any luck with the experiment?

 

[gkan]

Hi,

No, I am afraid it didn't work. I did not try expancel microspheres as the temperatures were too high for my setup.

Best,

George

 

[IRstuff]

What exactly is the purpose of the expansion? Perhaps some information about it might suggest an alternative, like spray foam insulation or Gorilla glue

TTFN
faq731-376

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[gao7857]

Gkan,
Dr.Demon is right about the contraction.
Be ware of the UV if it need to pass a layer of medium like glass or transparent plastics. The UV curing effect can drop a lot. We thought about similar stuff before but was not lucky . That was several years ago though as things may change. There was a Germany company (masterbond?) making various types UV curable plastics and will help R&D.
Best,