The cationic photopolymerization of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy (DGEBA) at k 5 385 nm was conducted by the combination of a cationic photoinitiator PAG30201 (Bis (4-isobutylphenyl) iodonium hexafluorophosphate) and a photosensitizer PSS303 (9,10-dibutoxy-9,10-dihydroanthrance). The kinetic characterization was investigated by real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The enhancement of epoxy conversion of DGEBA was achieved by increasing temperature, adding alcohols, active monomers and radical photoinitiators. As a result, in the presence of 2 wt % PAG30201 and 1.2 wt % PSS303, the epoxy rings conversion of DGEBA has reached to more than 70% from 55.9% at room temperature; it could be increased to almost 80% if heated to 60 C.

The cationic photopolymerization of 3-benzyloxymethyl-3-ethyl-oxetane (MOX104) initiated by triphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate under UV light was conducted. The kinetics were investigated by real-time Fourier transform IR spectroscopy and the mechanical and thermal properties of poly(MOX104) were examined by dynamic mechanical analysis and TGA. To adjust the properties of the polymer, different initiator concentrations and comonomer composition were applied. The results showed that the conversion of MOX104 was improved significantly from 17% to almost 90% by adding a certain amount of 3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate or diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin, while not much effect was observed by adding 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether. Moreover, the glass transition temperature, decomposition temperature and Young's modulus of poly(MOX104) were improved by adding different amounts of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin.