The surface structure of Dow Cyclotene 3022, as determined by photoacoustic FTIR, confocal Raman and photoelectron spectroscopies

The cure of B-staged Cyclotene 3022 has been studied by photoacoustic FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy XPS.. The data indicate that the cure reaction is second-order, consistent with a Diels–Alder reaction. The lack of any loss of aromaticity on cure, as observed by both photoacoustic FTIR and XPS, and confirmed by confocal Raman spectroscopy, indicates a reaction mechanism involving the production of tetrahydronaphthalene. The lack of structural differences between surface and bulk, determined by a comparison of photoacoustic and published transmission FTIR data, indicates that the cyclobutane homopolymerization pathway lies at an energy too high to be attained even with an added surface energy. The polymer loses a significant amount of low molecular weight material on curing. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved