Development of fluorescence probes based on stilbazolium salts for monitoring free radical polymerization processes

Abstract

A series of 1-methyl-2-(4-aminostyryl)pyridinium perchlorates and iodides were investigated as fluorescent probes for the monitoring of the progress of free radical polymerization. The study on the changes in the fluorescence intensity and spectroscopic shifts of studied compounds were carried out during thermally initiated polymerization of methyl methacrylate and during photoinitiated polymerization of a 2-ethyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol triacrylate (TMPTA)–1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one (MP) mixture. The purpose of these studies was to find a relationship between the changes in the shape and intensity of probe fluorescence and degree of monomer conversion into polymer. The polymer formation was estimated gravimetrically or by the measurement of the degree of monomer double bond disappearance using FTIR spectroscopy.