A STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF RADIATION-INDUCED GELATION IN MONOMERPOLYMER MIXTURES. Final Report

Technical Report · Thu Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4840481

Odian, G; Bernstein, B S; Schaefer, J; Friedman, L J; Kelly, J

It was found that polyethylene can be radiation-crosslinked at lower radiation doses than normally required by the incorporation of certain di- and polyfunctional monomers into the polymer prior to radiation. Useful monomers are ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, triallyl cyanurate, diallyl itaconate, and allyl methacrylate. The crosslinking of polyvinyl chloride by radiation alone is not a promising process due to the fact that this polymer degrades during irradiation due to HCl evolution. It was found that the incorporation of difunctional monomers, such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate or polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, into the polymer allows one to accomplish the crosslinking process at drastically reduced radiation doses. In tais manner, the side effect of HCl loss is avoided. The irradiation of polypropylene results in crosslinking only at very high doses due to the fact that polypropylene is quite sensitive to main chain scission under radiation conditions. The investigation indicates that the use of diallyl itaconate or triallyl cyanurate allows one to perform the desired crosslinking process at lowered doses and to avoid the problem of main chain scission. (auth)

• Research Organization: Radiation Applications Inc., Long Island City, N.Y.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-030714
• OSTI ID: 4840481
• Report Number(s): NYO-2481
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALCOHOLS
ALLYL RADICALS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
COLLOIDS
CYANURATES
DECOMPOSITION
ETHYLENE
GELATION
GLYCOLS
HYDROGEN CHLORIDES
INDUCTION
ITACONIC ACID
METHACRYLATES
METHACRYLIC ACID
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
PREPARATION
PROPYLENE
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
SENSITIVITY