Photopolymerization of maleimide perfluoropolyalkylethers without a photoinitiator

Perfluoropolyalkylethers derived from hexafluoropropylene oxide were functionalized with maleimide groups. Irradiated by UV-light, the new maleimide macromonomers demonstrated very fast polymerization kinetics with a curing time as fast as 8 s. The effect on photopolymerization of different features such as the molecular weight of the fluorinated chain and the chain length of the hydrogenated spacer were studied, as well as the influence of the type of photoinitiator and the presence of air. Thermal and surface properties of the UV-cured polymers were examined and were typical to fluoropolymers in view of water-oil repellent coatings. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 699-707