Polymerization of Vinyl Stearate Monolayers: Influence of Pressure Annealing

Monolayers of vinyl stearate were irradiated at the gas-water interface while a constant surface pressure on the film was maintained. The polymerization was followed by monitoring the change in the pressure area isotherm for the film and ex situ infrared spectra of the film. The change in area occupied by the film as a function of time could not be used to follow the course of the reaction. The conversion of monomer to polymer was increased by increasing the surface pressure maintained on the film and by annealing the film prior to irradiation. A crystallite island model is proposed to describe the morphology of the monolayer before and after pressure annealing.