Sequenced click chemistry and photopolymerization: a new approach toward semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks

Multi‐step curing systems involving photopolymerization are of great interest because they provide easy tunable properties and processes for polymer synthesis. Herein, new perspectives are proposed to form semi‐interpenetrated polymer networks through a versatile process involving two orthogonal chemistries. The sequence of reaction has been designed as follows: (i) a stoichiometric aza‐Michael addition between acrylates and amines in a methacrylate medium and (ii) ultraviolet curing of methacrylates. According to the structure of amine, this method affords the production of either mixed networks or semi‐interpenetrated polymer networks. Finally, it is shown that divinylsulfone can be used instead of acrylate, granting many opportunities to develop multifunctional materials with diverse and varied properties. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.