Synthesis and characterization of acrylate–oxetane interpenetrating polymer networks through a thermal-UV dual cure process

In the present work, a thermal-UV dual-cure process was performed on acrylate–oxetane systems. A 1:1 molar mixture of difunctional acrylate–oxetane mixture was prepared starting from 2,2-Bis(4-(3-acryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenyl)propane (BPADA) and 3-ethyl-3-{[(3-ethyloxetan-3-yl)methoxy]methyl}oxetane (OXT-221, DOX). Following a difunctional oxetane-acrylic monomer (OXAC) was synthesized. Starting from the 1:1 molar mixture a heterogeneous IPN is generated by dual cure process: the obtained material is characterized by DMTA curves with two maximum of tan δ peak; a broad damping effect can be expected. In the case of OXAC dual cured system a homogeneous material with no separation domain is obtained, as evidenced by a single tan δ peak in DMTA curves.