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Effect of high pressure on radiation-induced cross-linking of synthetic rubbers

Journal Article · · J. Macromol. Sci., Part B; (United States)

The effect of pressure on the radiation-induced cross-linking of synthetic rubbers, cis-1,4-polybutadiene, cis-1,4-polyisoprene, poly(TFE-propylene), poly(styrene-butadiene), poly(ethylene-propylene), and trans-1,4-polybutadiene were studied. A remarkable acceleration of cross-linking by compression for unsaturated polymers is attributed to an acceleration of the propagation reaction of cross-linking, which does not require long-range migration of radicals, by reduction of the distance between polymer chains at high pressure while the termination reaction, which requires long-range migration of radicals to recombine with each other, is reduced by the decrease in molecular mobility at high pressure. The presence of an optimum pressure was observed for radiation-induced cross-linking of cis-1,4-polyisoprene and TFE-propylene copolymer. This is explained by a significant change in molecular motion occurring due to the glass transition or crystallization at high pressure.

Research Organization:
Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki
OSTI ID:
7120882
Journal Information:
J. Macromol. Sci., Part B; (United States), Journal Name: J. Macromol. Sci., Part B; (United States) Vol. 11:3; ISSN JMAPB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English