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STUDIES IN RADIATION POLYMERIZATION (in German)

Journal Article · · Monatshefte fuer Chemie (Austria)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00900265· OSTI ID:4121736

The monomers acrylonitrile, styrene, and vinyl acetate were irradiated with neutrons at 20 deg C for periods of 30 or 60 min at approximates 10 cm from a reactor core. Polymerization of acrylonitrile was about 25 times that of styrene, as contrasted to values of 60 or 80 times reported in the literature. Gelation effects prevented an estimate of polymerization of vinyl acetate under these conditions. However, following neutron irradiation at approximates 65 cm from the core for periods of 15 or 45 min at 21.5 deg C, the degree of polymerization of vinyl acetate was almost the same as that of acrylonitrile. This contrasts with literature values which indicate that polymerization of vinyl acetate is 10 times as great as that of acrylonitrile. Polymerization velocity of styrene is very marked. A molecular weight distribution was performed on a polystyrene fractionated in a BakerWilliams chamber. After gamma irradiation at a distance of 33 cm from the reactor core for 4 hr at 31.5 deg C, conversion of the polystyrene amounted to 8.2% and its Staudinger index (in toluene) was 41.2 ml/g. The integrated mass distribution corresponded to a 75% fractional radical addition to the chain. It was concluded that the primary products that resulted from the radiochemical reaction have no specific breakage effect. Although the results of the styrene polymerization are not in complete agreement with those obtained with azoisobutyronitrile, they are close enough to suggest that the disruption mechanism is the same. (BBB)

Research Organization:
Universitat, Vienna
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-18-005389
OSTI ID:
4121736
Journal Information:
Monatshefte fuer Chemie (Austria), Journal Name: Monatshefte fuer Chemie (Austria) Vol. Vol: 94; ISSN MOCHA
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
German