Efficacy Analysis of In Situ Synthesis of Nanogold via Copper/Iodonium/Amine/Gold System under a Visible Light

This article presents, for the first time, the kinetics and the general features of a photopolymerization system (under visible light), copper-complex/Iodonium/triethylamine/gold-chloride (orA/B/N/G), with initial concentrations of A(0), B-0, N-0 and G(0), based on the proposed mechanism of Tar et al. Analytic formulas were developed to explore the new features, including: (i) both free radical photopolymerization (FRP) efficacy and the production of nanogold (NG), which are proportional to the relative concentration ratios of (A(0) + B-0 + N-0)/G(0) and may be optimized for maximum efficacy; (ii) the two competing procedures of NG production and the efficacy of FRP, which can be tailored for an optimal system with nanogold in the polymer matrix; (iii) the FRP efficacy, which is contributed by three components given by the excited state of copper complex (T), and the radicals (R and S) produced by iodonium and amine, respectively; (iv) NG production, which is contributed by the coupling of T and radical (S) with gold ion; and (v) NG production, which has a transient state proportional to the light intensity and the concentration ratio A(0)/G(0)) + (N-0/(K'M-0), but also a steady-state independent of the light intensity.

Automated summary

This article presents the kinetics and general features of a photopolymerization system for the first time, based on a proposed mechanism. Analytic formulas were developed to explore new features, including the relationship between free radical photopolymerization efficacy and nanogold production, and the competing procedures of nanogold production and photopolymerization efficacy. The efficacy of photopolymerization is contributed by components from the excited state of copper complex, while nanogold production is contributed by the coupling of components with gold ion.