Radiation Degradation Susceptibility of Several Related Polymers.

Abstract

Radiation degradation is observed for irradiated poly(methyl alpha-chloroacrylate) (PMCA), poly(methacrylonitrile) (PMCN), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Molecular weight averages obtained by GPC on irradiated sample solutions indicate cross-linking also occurs in irradiated PMCA and PMCN. G(s) is determined to be 6-8 and G(x) 1-2 for PMCA, while ((G(s)-G(x) is 2.1 for irradiated PMCN. GPC data for irradiated poly(methacrylic anhydride) and poly(acrylic anhydride) model polymers indicate that these polymers are less sensitive to radiation degradation than the related polymers. The combination of results suggests that the main-chain scission process is not initiated by decarboxylation, but by a mechanism involving methylene radicals procuded by C-H bond dissociation on the ester-methyl or alpha-methyl polymer groups. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1977
Accession Number
ADA042525

Entities

People

  • C. U. Pittman Jr.
  • E. H. Poindexter
  • G. A. Stahl
  • J. N. Helbert
  • R. C. Chen

Organizations

  • United States Army Communications-Electronics Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkenes
  • Anhydrides
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Chromatography
  • Degradation
  • Free Radicals
  • Gel Permeation Chromatography
  • Ionizing Radiation
  • Measurement
  • Methylenes
  • Molecular Weight
  • New York
  • Polymers
  • Radiation
  • Radiation Chemistry

Readers

  • Analytical Mechanics
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.
  • Polymer Science and Technology