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The most prevalent polymerization methods are those which fall under the category of thermal polymerizations. The ease of initiation and the abundant knowledge present for these long time standards make implementation straightforward. However in some applications, the drawbacks may be numerous and the use of light induced polymerizations may be advantageous. Because of distinct advantages obtained using photopolymerizations as opposed to the more conventional thermally induced polymerizations science continues to further the knowledge and applications of photopolymers. Structured illumination is one such expansion of photopolymer knowledge and is a method by which variations in light intensity set up differential reaction rates evolving in the migration of monomer. The method can be tailored to produce cured systems with enhanced properties such as the reduction of stress or the control of gloss.
Polymerization shrinkage is important for many applications since it leads to residual stresses which can deform a system and undermine its optical or mechanical properties. Also, while photopolymerized coatings are generally high in gloss, it is a characteristic of a polymer system that can have great impact on its function and appearance. Utilizing the simple method of structured illumination, and thereby controlling the coating system for both reductions of stress and gloss, can lead to great advantages for the finished product. This contribution looks at not only producing coatings using the method of structured illumination but also characterizes their properties by standard and unconventional means, alike. Mathematical modeling of the shrinkage, stress and monomer migration is also present in this work.