Synthesis and photocrosslinking of benzyl acrylate substituted polydimethylsiloxanes

This article deals with the synthesis of polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMSs) substituted with chain or end benzyl acrylate groups by the hydrosilation of appropriate hydro-siloxanes, followed by phase transfer catalysed reaction of chloromethylated aromatic groups with the sodium salt of acrylic acid. Differential scanning photocalorimetry (DPC) was used to study the crosslinking behaviour of the mentioned functional PDMSs in the presence of different photoinitiators. The reaction rate, the final conversion and the inhibition period characterizing the crosslinking were found to be dependent on reaction atmosphere, light intensity, nature and concentration of photoinitiator and on polymer functional groups content.