Radical Polymerization of Methacrylate-Based Covalent Adaptable Network with Chain Transfer

Covalent Adaptable Networks (CANs) are a promising category of cross-linked polymers capable of reversible bond exchange in response to external stimuli, such as heat. This research investigates the impact of composition and light intensity on photoinitiated radical polymerization in a vinyl ester polymer film with dynamic bond exchange properties and examines its stress-relaxation behavior as a function of temperature. Surprisingly, stress increased during relaxation tests and introducing a catalyst did not mitigate this effect; however, a distinct reduction in stress was observed when the temperature was lowered. These findings have significant implications on CAN materials, emphasizing the importance of temperature to control over the amount of the desired stress relaxing reaction versus the amount of undesired side reactions. These studies provide insights into tailoring polymer formulations for enhanced performance in practical applications. Understanding the complexities of stress-relaxation behavior in polymer materials is crucial for precise control and optimization of CAN materials.