Macromolecules, Vol.28, No.24, 8147-8152, 1995
Cross-Polarization Magic-Angle-Spinning C-13 Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance Study of the Homogeneity of Some Photopolymerized Acrylic Networks
A theoretical analysis of relaxation processes has been used in the qualitative interpretation of carbon-resolved, proton T-1 rho data obtained at 100.56 MHz for three solid polyacrylate networks made by photopolymerization of the polyol acrylate monomers poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), and dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate (DPHPA). This analysis permits an estimate of the spin diffusion rates between different chemical species. Such rates are strongly dependent on spatial proximity and hence are applicable to the determination of the homogeneity of the networks. Proton T-1 rho’s in networks are not quite averaged to a single value by spin diffusion like in polymer blends, indicating there is extensive intermixing of TMPTA and DPHPA in forming the network. Proton T-1 rho, experiments are sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between a TMPTA/DPHPA network and PEGA homopolymer. When glass fibers are present in the network, they act like a spin diffusion medium, producing an increase in the rates of relaxation for all three components of the network.