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This work deals with the preparation of poly(urethane acrylates) by using two different polymerization techniques. Namely, the classical batch procedure has been compared with frontal polymerization (FP). A thorough study on the effect of initiator type, concentration, and on the velocity of the front and its maximum temperature has been carried out. Moreover, two different synthetic ways have been studied: the one step poly(urethane acrylate) preparation starting directly from 1,6 diisocyanato hexane and 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate, and the two step procedure consisting of the synthesis of the corresponding diurethane diacrylate and of its subsequent polymerization. The first method has the advantage of being faster but some caution is necessary due to the excessive heat that is generated if the reaction conditions are not properly chosen. The second approach requires a further step but has the advantage of being more controlled. DSC analysis did not show any significant difference by comparing the thermal properties of the materials obtained by the two techniques (batch and FP). However, since FP runs are very easy and fast to be performed, FP should be seriously taken into proper account when these materials have to be prepared. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3344–3352, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is devoted to an experimental and numerical study on the influence of natural convection on the ignition of polymerization reaction fronts. Numerical simulations confirm experimental findings. Indeed, it has been observed that under the same initial and boundary conditions the front ignition can occur either in the centre of the reactor or at the top. The difference between these two cases is determined by the viscosity of the medium and by other parameters that can influence the convective motion of a liquid monomer. If the viscosity is low, weak convective motion in the beginning of the development of the reaction will lead to the accumulation of the holler monomer at the top of the reactor. In this case, front ignition occurs at the top and propagates downwards (rainstorm effect). If the viscosity is sufficiently high, the convective motion does not essentially change the position of the emerging hot spot; the front appears at the centre of the reactor and propagates almost spherically outwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various crosslinking agents have been used to frontally cure the unsaturated polyester derived by the reaction of maleic anhydride and 1,2-propanediol. The effect of composition of the curing mixture on the front velocity and its maximum temperature, as well as on the thermal properties of the obtained materials, is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]