The effects of polymerization kinetics and chemical miscibility on the crosslinking structure and mechanical properties of polymers cured by visible-light initiated free-radical/cationic ring-opening hybrid photopolymerization are determined. A three-component initiator system is used and the monomer system contains methacrylates and epoxides. The photopolymerization kinetics is monitored in si...

Although acrylic monomers are strong skin sensitizers (1), their corresponding fully cured polymers are considered to be inert. Until recent years, allergic contact dermatitis caused by acrylates, the term comprising, in the following, also methacrylates, was primarily an occupational disease among dentists, printers, and fiberglass workers (2). In our practice, there has been a steady increase...

The "living" radical polymerization with an iniferter was used to create micropatterned biomedical surfaces. Novel, photosensitive biomedical polymers were created by the incorporation of dithiocarbamate groups from iniferters. A second monomer layer was then irradiated onto the photosensitive polymer substrate created with the iniferter to form a copolymer. Patterns were created on the films b...