Novel visible photoinitiators systems for free-radical/cationic hybrid photopolymerization

Free radical/cationic hybrid photopolymerization of acrylates and epoxides was induced using an initiator system comprised of the dye derivative 5,12-dihydroquinoxalino[2,3-b]quinoxaline or 5,12-dihydroquinoxalino[2,3-b]pyridopyrazine as the sensitizers and hexafluoroantimonate triarylsulfonium salt as the initiators. The curing experiments were carried out in the presence of air and the consumption of each monomer upon VIS-radiation was monitored in situ by real-time infrared spectroscopy. Hardness (H), elastic modulus (E) and the HIE ratio of the coatings obtained by visible-initiated acrylate/epoxide hybrid photopolymerization were determined using nanoindentation. DSC measurements show that the initiator system presented here may produce an interpenetrating polymer network. The pencil hardness of the obtained coatings indicates that the dye/hexafluoroantimonate triarylsulfonium salts systems studied here may have practical applications as visible-light hybrid initiators. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.