Experimental determination of β and γ critical exponents in the sol-gel phase transition by using steady-state fluorescence technique

The gelation of methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was studied using the steady-state fluorescence technique. Samples with various crosslinker densities were prepared and sol-gel phase transitions were observed at various temperatures. Percolation theory was employed to interpret the results. For all samples the gel fraction and the average cluster size exponents, β and γ, were measured and found to be around 0.42 and 1.7 respectively. These values show excellent agreement with theoretical and simulation results.