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Title: Radiation-induced polymerization of vinyl monomers adsorbed on inorganic substances. VI. Temperature dependence and effects of additives on methyl methacrylate--silica gel system. [Reaction mechanism;. gamma. radiation]

Journal Article · · J. Polym. Sci.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7226615

To elucidate the reaction mechanism of radiation-induced polymerization of methylmethacrylate adsorbed on silica gel, the temperature dependence and effects of acetone and pyridine were investigated. It was found that even at -78/sup 0/C the polymerization rate was quite fast. The amounts of high molecular weight GPC peaks of both graft polymers and homopolymers in creased with increasing irradiation temperature. The activation energy of the adsorbed state polymerization was low compared with that of bulk polymerization. The low molecular weight peaks of homopolymers decreased with acetone addition but were almost unaffected by pyridine. The low molecular weight peaks of homopolymers were thus polymerized by an anionic mechanism. In the methyl methacrylate-silica gel system both radical and anionic polymerization take place at the same time in formation of graft polymers and homopolymers. A reaction mechanism for the methyl methacrylate-silica gel system was proposed based on the results obtained to date.

Research Organization:
Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki
OSTI ID:
7226615
Journal Information:
J. Polym. Sci.; (United States), Vol. 14
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English