Deposits from silicon monoxide prepared by pulsed laser ablation were allowed to react with acrylic and vinyl monomers-styrene, methyl methacrylate and 1,2 ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. It was revealed by means of FTIR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and NMR spectroscopies that silyl Si. reacts with monomer molecules and initiates the consecutive polymerization. Crosslinking is proved by the occurrence of bending delta(-CH2) absorption peak at about 750 cm(-1) in FTIR spectra. Because of very low concentration of the propagating radical for styrene we used a radical scavenger N-phenyl-t-butylnitrone for trapping. The measured EPR parameters were compared with the calculated ones. In case of styrene, NMR analysis manifested the presence of Si-C bonds in SiCxOy (x + y = 2) units, which can be taken as direct evidence of the reaction between silyl centers and monomer molecules. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.