Researchers Shed Light on How to Make Photopolymerization Much More Efficient Innovative strategy produces heavier polymer chains with less energy by leveraging light-induced molecular flow

Scanning ultraviolet (UV) light through a slit can boost the efficiency of photopolymerization reactions and produce polymers with higher molecular weight, reveal scientists from Tokyo Tech. This straightforward strategy induces molecular diffusion in the reactants that ultimately favor the formation of longer polymer chains while also saving massive amounts of energy, paving the way to more sustainable and efficient polymer synthesis.

Polymers are materials made out of long, repeating chains of molecules...