Radiation-induced grafting of styrene onto ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder and subsequent film fabrication for application as polymer electrolyte membranes: I. Influence of grafting conditions

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder was irradiated by gamma rays using a ⁶⁰Co source. Simultaneous and pre-irradiation grafting was performed in air and in inert atmosphere at room temperature. The monomer selected for grafting was styrene, since the styrene-grafted UHMWPE could be readily post-sulfonated to afford proton exchange membranes (PEMs). The effect of absorbed radiation dose and monomer concentration in methanol on the degree of grafting (DG) is discussed. It was found that the DG increases linearly with increase in the absorbed dose, grafting time and monomer concentration, reaching a maximum at a certain level. The order of rate dependence of grafting on monomer concentration was found to be 2.32. Furthermore, the apparent activation energy, calculated by plotting the Arrhenius curve, was 11.5 kJ/mole. Lower activation energy and high rate dependence on monomer concentration shows the facilitation of grafting onto powder substrate compared with film. The particle size of UHMWPE powder was measured before and after grafting and found to increase linearly with increase in level of grafting. FTIR-ATR analysis confirmed the styrene grafting. The grafted UHMWPE powder was then fabricated into film and post-sulfonated using chlorosulfonic acid for the purposes of evaluating the products as inexpensive PEM materials for fuel cells. The relationship of DG with degree of substitution (DS) of styrene per UHMWPE repeat unit and ion exchange capacity (IEC) is also presented.     

Cation exchange membranes by pre-irradiation grafting of styrene into FEP films. I. Influence of synthesis conditions

Gamma radiation-induced grafting of styrene into FEP films was investigated by the pre-irradiation method. The degree of grafting was found to be strongly dependent on the synthesis conditions, such as radiation dose, monomer concentration, crosslinker, temperature, and film thickness. The order of dependence of the rate of grafting on pre-irradiation dose and monomer concentration was found to be 0.64 and 1.90, respectively. The activation energy for the grafting in the temperature range of 50–80°C was determined to be 27.9 kJ/mol. A negative first order dependence of grafting on film thickness was observed. The results suggest that the initial grafting takes place at the film surface and proceeds to the middle by progressive diffusion of monomer through the polystyrene grafted layers. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto fluorinated polymers. I. Kinetic study on the grafting onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) copolymer

Direct radiation-induced grafting of aqueous acrylic acid (AAc) onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) (ET) film has been studied. The effect of grafting conditions such as monomer concentration, exposure dose, dose rate, and film thickness on the grafting yield was investigated. The dependence of the grafting rate on monomer concentration was found to be 1.2 order. The dependence of the grafting rate on dose rate was found to be 0.6 order regardless of the film thickness. The relationship between the grafting rate and film thickness gave a negative first-order dependence. The results suggest that the grafting process is mainly controlled by monomer diffusion, and it was concluded that this grafting system proceeded by the front mechanism. The swelling behavior increases linearly with degree of grafting. The electrical conductivity and mechanical properties for the trunk and grafted polymer were investigated at different irradiation doses in air and under vacuum irradiations. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Radiation-induced grafting of styrene vapor to polyethylene

The radiation-induced grafting of styrene vapor to low-density polyethylene film of 0.063 mm thickness was studied at 23°C at a dose rate of 1.98 × 10⁴ rad/hr. The concentration C of monomer in the film was measured as a function of pre-irradiation exposure time to monomer vapor. The concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient of styrene in polyethylene was calculated to be 4.9 × 10^?9 exp {2.0C/C₀} cm²/sec, where C₀ is the saturation concentration of styrene in the film, and a linear boundary diffusion coefficient for styrene vapor into polyethylene film was found to be 2.0 × 10^?7 cm/sec. The rate of grafting was determined as a function of the concentration of styrene absorbed in the film. The maximum graft yield was obtained with an initial styrene concentration in the film of 4 wt-%. Under conditions of low initial monomer concentration, the grafting rate increases with irradiation time. The results are compared with previously published data on grafting of polyethylene from methanol–styrene solutions. They are explained in terms of the viscosity of the amorphous region as a function of styrene content and the resistance to the diffusion of monomer at the film–vapor interface.     

蚕丝辐射接枝丙烯腈

以氯化锌水溶液为溶剂 ,用钴 60γ射线引发蚕丝均相溶液接枝丙烯腈 .研究了辐射吸收剂量、剂量率、铜离子浓度、蚕丝浓度和单体浓度及“后效应”对单体转化率、接枝率、接枝效率、接枝链分子量的影响 ;研究发现初始接枝效率主要取决于 [S]丝/ ( [S]丝 +[M]单) ,接枝效率随吸收剂量增加而增加 ;铜离子的存在使接枝链分子量下降 ,而对接枝率和接枝效率影响不大 ;用IR、TGA、DTA等多种方法对接枝物进行了表征 ,表明蚕丝接枝上聚丙烯腈后 ,其热学性能有较大提高 .     

Kinetic study of preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene–perfluorovinyl ether) copolymer

A kinetic study has been made on the preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene–perfluorovinyl ether) (PFA) film. The effect of grafting conditions was investigated. The dependences of the grafting rate on preirradiation dose and monomer concentration was found to be of the order of 0.5 and 1.3, respectively. The final degree of grafting was found to increase with dose and monomer concentration. However, it decreases as the grafting temperature increase. The overall activation energy for the graft polymerization was calculated from Arrhenius plots to be 5.6 kcal/mol. The activation energy for this grafting system was found to be independent of preirradiation dose used in the range from 10 to 100 kGy. The relationship between the grafting rate and film thickness gave a negative first-order dependence. The results suggest that the grafting proceeds by radical mechanism with bimolecular termination of growing chain radicals. It was reasonable concluded that this grafting proceeds from the surface to the center of film with progressive monomer diffusion through the grafted layer which swells in the monomer solution.     

聚四氟乙烯强酸性阳离子交换纤维的制备研究

采用共辐射引发将苯乙烯接枝到聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)纤维上,然后磺化制备出强酸性和超强酸性离子交换纤维,接枝率随苯乙烯单体浓度和辐射剂量增加而提高,随辐射剂量率的增加而降低,当接枝率为20%左右时,PTFE-co-St-SO3H离子交换纤维的Hammett酸度函数低于-11.99,呈现出超强酸性。     

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of maleic acid and maleic anhydride onto ultra-fine powdered styrene–butadiene rubber (UFSBR)

The functionalization of ultra-fine powdered styrene–butadiene rubber (UFSBR) was carried out using gamma radiation-induced graft polymerization of maleic acid (MA) and maleic anhydride (MAH), respectively. It was found that the graft yield of MA onto UFSBR increased rapidly up to the peak and then decreased with increasing MA content. Moreover, the peak shifted to the direction of lower MA content with increasing absorbed dose. Similarly, there was the peak of graft yield with increasing MAH content for grafting of MAH onto UFSBR, whereas the peak of graft yield was achieved at 10 wt% MAH content at different absorbed doses. On the other hand, increasing absorbed dose and decreasing monomer contents are useful to improve the graft efficiency of MA and MAH. At high dose and low monomer content, the graft yield of MAH onto UFSBR is higher than that of MA. FTIR spectra confirmed that both MA and MAH can be grafted successfully onto the UFSBR under gamma irradiation, respectively. Comparing with maleation of rubber by melt grafting, the graft yield of MAH on UFSBR is higher, which can be attributed to the network structure and nanometer size of UFSBR as well as high energy provided by radiation.     

PTFE辐射接枝对苯乙烯基三甲氧基硅烷制备质子交换膜

采用聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)膜室温下共辐射接枝单体p-苯乙烯基三甲氧基硅烷(StSi),之后经磺化和水解缩聚制备了含有亲水性的—Si—O—Si—交联结构和Si—OH基团的质子交换膜.研究了溶剂、吸收剂量、吸收剂量率以及单体浓度等参数对接枝率的影响,并对质子交换膜的离子交换容量(IEC)、吸水性、尺寸稳定性及电导率等性能进行了分析.结果表明,实验条件下接枝率随吸收剂量和单体浓度增加而增加,采用3mol·L-1的单体浓度减少均聚物;吸收剂量率为10～43Gy·min-1时,接枝率随剂量率变化不明显;以甲苯做溶剂可获得较高接枝率并保持膜的机械强度;IEC值、吸水性和电导率随接枝率增加而增大,是—SO3H、—Si—O—Si—交联结构和Si—OH基团共同作用的结果.接枝率72.5%时膜的IEC值为1.53mmol·g-1,高于Nafion117(0.89mmol·g-1),90℃吸水率为63%,尺寸稳定(优于Nafion117),质子电导率达1.5×10-2S·cm-1,获得了低于Nafion117的甲醇透过性,接枝率50.1%时甲醇透过系数0.82×10-6cm2·s-1.     

辐射接枝医用水凝胶的研究Ⅰ.硅橡胶辐射接技N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮

采用填加SiO_2增强的甲基乙烯基硅橡胶混炼压片。通过~(60)Co-γ射线引发辐射硫化,利用共辐照方法,将N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮接枝到该硅橡胶上,制备了高纯度医用水凝胶。本文较系统地研究了接枝单体浓度、辐照剂量率、剂量、温度和接枝试片厚度等因素对接枝共聚反应的影响。建立了接枝速率与单体浓度、剂量率之间的动力学关系式:R_g=k[M]~(4/5)D~(1/2)。讨论了反应机制和接枝区域。     

Radiation-induced grafting polymerization of MMA onto polybutadiene rubber latex

The grafting of methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto polybutadiene rubber latex by the direct radiation method was carried out. The effects of monomer concentration, absorbed dose and dose rate of gamma rays on the grafting yield were investigated. The graft copolymers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. TEM photographs revealed that the core–shell structures of latex particles are formed at low MMA content, and with the increasing of MMA content, the semi-IPN-like structure with core–shell could be developed due to the high gel fraction of polybutadiene (PBD) seed particles. In addition, infrared analysis confirmed that MMA could be grafted onto PBD molecular chains effectively under appropriate irradiation conditions. The interfacial adhesion between PBD rubber (core) and PMMA (shell) phases could be enhanced with the increase of MMA concentration.     

Spectroscopic study of the penetration depth of grafted polystyrene onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene‐co‐perfluoropropylvinylether) substrates. 1. Effect of grafting conditions

This study concerns the radiation grafting of styrene onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene‐co‐perfluoropropylvinylether) (PFA) substrates and the penetration depth of the graft. Grafting was obtained by the simultaneous irradiation method, and the spectroscopic analysis was made with the micro‐Raman technique. Effects of grafting conditions such as the type of solvent, dose rate, and irradiation dose on the grafting yield were investigated. Of the different solvents used, the most efficient in terms of increasing grafting yield were dichloromethane, benzene, and methanol, respectively. A mixture of methanol and dichloromethane used as a solvent for styrene achieved a higher degree of grafting and concentration of grafted polystyrene onto the surface of PFA substrates than solutions of the monomer in the separate solvents. The degree of grafting increased with increasing radiation dose up to 500 kGy, stabilizing above this dose. However, the grafting yield decreased with an increase in the dose rate. The increase in the overall grafting yield was accompanied by a proportional increase in the penetration depth of the grafts into the substrate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3191–3199, 2002     

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of styrene to poly(vinyl chloride)

The radiation-induced graft polymerization of styrene to poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was investigated. Relations between the rate of grafting and the dose rate when the polymer is irradiated in liquid monomer or in monomer vapor, and between the rate of grafting and monomer concentration absorbed in the polymer have been investigated. The rate of grafting in monomer vapor was found to be far larger than that in liquid monomer. A high rate of grafting in monomer vapor was thought to result from a lower concentration of monomer in PVC during irradiation. An experiment carried out on PVC containing the monomer at various concentrations showed that the rate is largest at a monomer concentration of about 3.5 mole/l. and is smaller for higher and lower concentrations. On the assumption that the theory of homogeneous homopolymerization can be applied to this grafting reaction, the value of k_p²/k_t has been obtained, where k_p and k_t are propagation constant and termination constant, respectively. The value of k_t greatly increases when the monomer concentration exceeds 3.5 mole/l. This increase of k_t can be accounted for if it is assumed that the monomer absorbed in the polymer works as a plasticizer and increases the molecular motion of the polymer. A measurement of the elastic modulus of PVC containing the monomer at various concentrations showed that this is, in fact, the case.     

Kinetic approach to radiation-induced grafting in the polyethylene–styrene system. II

The investigation method reported in the previous paper was applied to four reaction methods: preirradiation method with reaction in liquid monomer, preirradiation method with reaction in monomer vapor, simultaneous irradiation method in liquid, and simultaneous irradiation method in vapor. The increasing patterns and values of the degree of grafting experimentally obtained roughly agreed with those calculated by using the same rate constants. At high monomer concentration, the rate of grafting was small; at low monomer concentration, the rate of grafting was large. Strictly speaking, the data by simultaneous irradiation method were somewhat larger than those by calculation. Two additional factors, as homopolymerization and the grafting from the radicals formed on the grafted polystyrene, were considered and discussed. The rate constants obtained were also discussed.     

PEROXIDE GRAFTING OF POWDERED POLYPROPYLENE BY BUTYL ACRYLATE

The efficiency of the grafting of powdered polypropylene (PP) by butyl acrylate (BA) initiated by tert.-butylperoxy-2-ethylhex-as a ratio of the grafted and polymerized monomer was relatively high during the whole course of the reaction and it does not decrease under 0.5. The relatively high polymerization rate and also grafting efficiency at the beginning of the reaction is refered to the gel effect - the monomer is absorbed in the amorphous part of the powdered PP. With increasing the content of monomer in the reaction feed, the content of unsoluble cross-linked polymer increased as the consequence of the radical cross-linking of polybutylacrylate chains. The mechanism of grafting of powdered PP by BA is discussed.     

Grafting onto Wool. IX. Graft Copolymerization of Vinyl Monomers by Use of Vanadium Oxyacetylacetonate as Initiator

Methyl methacrylate (MMA), acrylic acid (AAc), and vinyl acetate (VAc) were graft copolymerized onto Himachali wool in an aqueous medium by using vanadium oxyacetyl acetonate as initiator. Graft copolymerization was studied at 45, 55, 65, and 75°C for various reaction periods. The percentage of grafting was determined as functions of concentration of monomers, concentration of initiator, time, and temperature. The maximum percentage of grafting with each monomer occurred at 55°. Several grafting experiments were carried out in the presence of various additives which include HNO3, DMSO, and pyridine. Nitric acid was found to promote grafting of MMA. All these additives had adverse effects on grafting of VAc and AAc. MMA, VAc, and AAc were found to differ in reactivity toward grafting and followed the order MMA > AAc > VAc.     

Membranes hydrophiles non-ionisables obtenues par le greffage radiochimique de la n-vinylpyrrolidone dans des films de polytetrafluoroethylene

Non-ionizable, hydrophilic membranes were prepared by radiation grafting of vinylpyrrolidone into polytetrafluoroethylene films. The conditions under which grafting proceeds into the depth of the films were determined. It was found necessary to use aromatic solvents such as pyridine or benzene. The kinetics of the reaction were examined considering the following parameters: temperature, dose, dose-rate and concentration of monomer. The rate of grafting was found highest for monomer concentrations of 60–70 per cent. The results show that the grafting process is complicated by the high viscosity of the reaction medium and by the fact that the rate of diffusion of monomer into the films may become the controlling factor. The rate of homopolymerization of vinylpyrrolidone was also determined. The swelling of the resulting membranes was studied in various solvents. It was found that the limiting swelling ratio depended on the composition of the film but for given composition the swelling ration in water also depends on the grafting conditions. These various results are discussed.     

Surface grafting of polyethylene by mutual irradiation in methyl acrylate vapor. I. γ irradiation

Mutual irradiation of polyethylene (PE) in methyl acrylate vapor easily forms a poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) homopolymer layer on the inner graft copolymer layer consisting of both PE and PMA components as a result of the rapidly increasing surface-graft composition. This growth process of surface grafting has been found to provide some specific kinetic features different from those in other surface-grafting systems. With formation of the surface homopolymer layer, low- and highdensity PE sheets give the same grafting rate, whereas both sheets give different rates in grafting stages or conditions in which the homopolymer layer is not formed. This result indicates that most monomers, penetrating across the surface, are entrapped or consumed in the surface homopolymer layer; accordingly the rate becomes independent of the type of PE sheets that have significantly different diffusion coefficients. The thickness of the inner graft copolymer layer, which is kept constant after homopolymer-layer formation, increases with decreasing dose rate and with increasing monomer vapor pressure and temperature. This behavior can be qualitatively explained according to an equation for the initial steady-state grafting depth.     

Kinetics of diffusion-free radiation graft polymerization of styrene onto polyethylene

The diffusion-free radiation graft polymerization of styrene onto polyethylene has been studied. The grafting rate shows a dependence on monomer which is far different than what has been assumed. Further, the dependence on monomer changes with increasing dose rate as does the dependence of grafting rate on radiation dose rate. Three different regions of behavior are defined: (1) a region of low dose rate where the grafting rate is 1/2-order in dose rate and 3/2-order in monomer; (2) a region of intermediate dose rate where the grafting rate is intermediate between 1/2-and zero-order in dose rate and 5/2-order in monomer; and (3) a region of high dose rate, where the grafting rate is independent of dose rate and at least 5/2-order in monomer. Various possible mechanisms responsible for these effects are discussed, including the effects of viscosity on the initiation and termination reactions, the possibility of ionic graft polymerization, and energy transfer.     

Radiation synthesis of acrylic acid onto poly(tetraflouroethylene-perflourovinyl ether) film: Chemical modifications and electrical conductivity

Graft-polymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) monomer onto poly(tetraflouroethylene-perflouro vinyl ether) (PFA) copolymer film was carried out using gamma irradiation technique to synthesize grafted copolymer film PFA-g-PAAc (PFA-COOH). The effect of the dose on the degree of grafting of AAc onto PFA film was investigated. The results showed that the degree of grafting increases with increasing the irradiation dose. The grafted [PFA-COOH] film was chemically modified by reaction with aniline to produce modified [PFA-CO-NH-ph] film, followed by sulphonation reaction to introduce sulfonic acid (SO₃H) groups to get other modified [PFA-CO-NH-ph-SO₃H] film. The chemical structures of the grafted and modified films were identified by FT-IR, XRD, and SEM. It is of particular interest to measure the electrical conductivity of grafted and modified membranes as a function of degree of grafting. It was found that the conductivity of the grafted films increases with increasing the degree of grafting, however a slightly increase in conductivity was observed in [PFA-CO-NH-ph-SO₃H] sample. The electrical conductivity property of the modified PFA membranes suggests their possible use for fuel cell applications.