Radiation induced polymerization of isoprene: A spectroscopic study

Isoprene polymerizes under the action of γ-radiation from a ⁶⁰Co source yielding a low molecular weight polyisoprene which remains soluble in the unreacted monomer. The electronic absorption spectrum of polyisoprene oligomer in isoprene monomer has been explained using squalene, a polyisoprene hexamer, as model compound. The radiation chemical yield for polyisoprene formation has been estimated from both gravimetric and spectrophotometric data pertaining the amount of polymer formed. An average G value of 35 molecules/100 eV has been determined suggesting that the polymerization mechanism involves free radicals. The chemical structure of the resulting polyisoprene radio-oligomer has been determined by FT-IR spectroscopy and found identical to that of a reference polyisoprene sample prepared by a chemically-initiated free radical polymerization process. The structure determination by FT-IR spectroscopy has been reported in detail.