Radiation polymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid in aqueous solutions

The dependence of the yield of polymer and its molecular mass on the absorbed dose of γ-irradiation of a 0.8 M 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid aqueous solution was determined, as well as the gel fraction of the polymer produced. The feasibility of obtaining a crosslinked polymer via radiation polymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid in the presence of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide admixtures was shown. It was found that the maximal degree of crosslinking is reached at a dose on the order of 20 kGy and the maximal water uptake (1150 g/g) is achieved at a dose of 1.25 kGy.     

The crosslinking of polyethylene irradiated in a multilayer system

Polyethylene films characterized by different thickness and crosslinking efficiencies were irradiated with 1.5 MeV electrons at an average current density of 0.016 mA/cm². The samples were in the form of film stacks with or without distance supports between the polymer layers. Some of the samples were irradiated in an N₂ atmosphere. The absorbed dose in a given polymer layer was estimated from the gel content. From the dose-gel dependence estimated for each polymer layer and the dose-depth dependence based on the literature data, the gel-depth and dose-depth curves were plotted. From the comparison of these curves with experimental data it was concluded that the absorbed dose depends on the polymer film thickness and the presence or absence of the gas phase between polymer layers.     

Study of natural rubber crosslinked in the state of uniaxial deformation

A natural rubber (NR) film with the thickness of about 1 mm was prepared by removing the liquid phase from NR latex. Two types of NR films crosslinked by γ-irradiation were investigated: (i) samples irradiated in the relaxed state and (ii) samples irradiated in the state of uniaxial deformation. The total irradiation dose varied from 0 kGy (for nonirradiated NR) to 400 kGy and the degree of deformation, defined as λ=l/l₀ (l₀ and l being the lengths of relaxed and uniaxially deformed sample, respectively), was chosen to be λ=1.0 (relaxed state), λ=1.5 and λ=2.0. The amount of sol and gel phase of NR was determined by extracting the sol component in toluene. A significant decrease in the amount of the sol component (from 14.2% to 33.5%, depending on irradiation dose) was observed by increasing the irradiation dose. It has been shown that the application of deformation during the crosslinking leads to the lower crosslink density. Such an effect can be attributed to the loss of the gel component induced mechanically. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of spin probe diffusing in the NR matrix crosslinked under deformation are influenced by both, the local dynamics of the chain segments and their spacious orientation.     

Infrared and Raman spectroscopic investigation of crosslinked polystyrenes and radiation‐grafted films

The crosslinking of functionalized polystyrene resins is often of critical importance in determining resin properties and performance in the application of these materials as membranes and supports. In this investigation model systems are developed for quantifying the infrared and Raman spectroscopic properties of copolymers based on poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene). Analytical curves appropriate for the quantification of para‐ and metasubstituted species and pendant double bonds are reported, and corrections to previously reported spectroscopic assignments and analytical methods are made. The usefulness of these two analytical methods in characterizing radiation‐grafted films and commercial copolymers is compared, and typical characterization results are given. The relative concentrations of the species found in the grafted films are quite different from their concentrations in the grafting solution, and empirical relationships between the two are developed. In addition, the graft composition varies as a function of the base polymer film thickness and type and the penetration depth in the grafted film. Radiation‐grafted films are more highly crosslinked in their near surface regions, and thinner films are more extensively crosslinked. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 59–75, 2004     

Computational synthesis,structure, and glass transition of (1,4) Cis‐polyisoprene‐based nanocomposite by multiscale modeling

The main goal of the present study was to produce insights from the atomistic modeling into the structural changes in elastomer‐based polymer nanocomposites caused by the surface modifications of the filler particles, and by the crosslinking of the participating polymer matrix. The fully atomistic molecular‐dynamics computer simulations of crosslinked (1,4) cis‐polyisoprene (PI) films capped by amorphous silica substrates was set‐up, in the presence of realistic coupling and covering agents. The PI film stratified structure has been studied in the proximity of the corresponding glass transition, by varying the degree of crosslinking and the PI film thickness. Some monomer ordering induced by the pristine (bare) silica disappeared almost completely in films with modified surfaces. The average monomer density increased with degree of crosslinking. As compared with PI bulk, the glass‐transition temperature was slightly larger for highly crosslinked PI films with bare silica and surfaces with coupling agents, and increased with increasing confinement. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 473–485     

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.     

Modification of polyethylene films by radiation grafting of glycidyl methacrylate and immobilization of β-cyclodextrin

Glycidyl methacrylate was grafted onto polyethylene films using a preirradiation method with γ rays. The effect of absorbed dose, monomer concentration, and reaction time on the degree of grafting was determined. The grafted samples were verified by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. β-Cyclodextrin was immobilized onto polypropylene modified with glycidyl methacrylate, and the ability of the cavities of β-cyclodextrin to form inclusion complexes was demonstrated using the typically organic compound approach with m-toluic acid (3-MBA) as a probe.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF γ-IRRADIATED CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS Ⅰ. CHARACTERIZATION OF γ-RADIATION INDUCED CROSSLINKED POLYAMIDE 1010 BY CRYSTALLIZATION TEMPERATURE*

The effect of ~(50)Co γ-radiation on plain polyamide 1010 (PA1010 Ⅰ) and PA1010 containing dif-ferent amount of crosslinking agent (BMI) (PA1010 Ⅱ) both in vacuum and in air at room tempera-ture was investigated with DSC. It was found that the crystallization temperature T_c of crosslinkedsample determined with DSC at constant cooling rate decreased as the radiation dose increased. Thedifference between crystallization temperatures before and after crosslinking (T_(c_o)-T_(c_R) is linearlyrelated to the radiation dose for PA1010I. Based on the Charlesby-Pinner's equation an expressionwas derived S+S~(1/2)=A+B/(T_(c_o)-T_(c_R)) where S is the sol fraction, A and B are constants. Since thereis evidence that T_c is relative to S only and independent of the way of irradiation, the equation is alsoapplicable to the enhanced γ-irradiation crosslinked PA1010 Ⅱ. Therefore, determination of T_cof crosslinked polymer by DSC offers a convenient approach to study quantitatively the random andespecially non-random crosslinking reaction of crystalline polymer.     

Perfluorinated polymer film with functional group prepared by radiation-induced grafting

A perfluorinated vinyl ether monomer, 2-bromotetrafluoroethyl trifluorovinyl ether (BrTFF) was grafted into crosslinked poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (cPTFE) films by γ-rays irradiation under different conditions. The irradiation with absorbed doses more than 550 kGy gave the poly(BrTFF) grafted cPTFE membranes with grafting yields of more than 20%. FTIR spectra and SEM-EDS testified that BrTFF was successfully grafted into cPTFE films homogeneously in the film perpendicular direction. TGA analysis of the grafted films indicated that the perfluorinated poly(BrTFF) grafts were phase-separated from the PTFE region due to the crosslinked structure of the cPTFE based film, but the grafted films still had high thermal stability (above 300 °C). DSC measurements showed the decrease of melting temperature, but the increase of both heat of fusion and degree of crystallinity in cPTFE film after grafting. The grafted film, a new kind of perfluorinated polymer with bromine active groups and good mechanical properties, is expected to be modified for new applications.     

Formulation selection of aliphatic aromatic biodegradable polyester film exposed to UV/solar radiation

Aliphatic aromatic copolyester films, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) or PBAT, are susceptible to photodegradation, leading to main chain scission and crosslinking. The presence of crosslinked structures not only decreased the mechanical properties of the film due to embrittlement, but also hindered the biodegradation process by limiting access of water and microorganisms to the polymer chains. This has limited the use of PBAT for outdoor applications, such as mulch films. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimal concentrations of carbon black (CB) and the chain breaking antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) for the design of mulch films that can prevent the formation of crosslinked structures from recombination of free radicals. An overlaid contour plot of suitable concentrations of CB and BHT for the formulation of mulch film for crop production in Michigan or regions with similar solar radiation was established using selection criteria of light transmission of less than 20%, final tensile strength of at least 6.35 MPa, maximum gel fraction of 0.30, and positive number average molecular weight reduction sensitivity in the early stage of degradation.     

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.     

Determination of the radiation yield of hydrogels crosslinking

The ability of polymer to crosslink or exposure to radiation is frequently represented by a G value, the number of crosslinks per 100 eV absorbed. Several methods are available for its determination, the most frequent being the dose D_g required to form an incipient network since (with many systems) this corresponds to one crosslinked unit per weight average molecular (δ = 1). Its determination therefore depends on a knowledge of the molecular weight of the starting polymer. An alternative method, far less frequently used, is to measure the degree of swelling of a crosslinked network. This involves a knowledge of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter μ and of the initial number average M_n(0). However if the concentration V_e of effective chains (deduced from swelling) is plotted against dose D, the slope gives G(X) directly, independent of M_n(0). This applies only when the system is very largely crosslinked. It may also be used to determine G(X) even when starting from the monomer itself (i.e. combining polymerization and crosslinking). It is shown that, for a series of polymers, irradiated either as liquids or in solution, the theoretical relation between swelling and crosslink density is followed, and the G(X) values derived from swelling compare well with those given in the literature, and based on gel fraction.     

Influence of γ-radiation on the optical parameters of Ag10Te90 thin films

Amorphous Ag₁₀Te₉₀ thin films were prepared onto glass substrates using the thermal evaporation method. The effect of γ-irradiation on the optical parameters was investigated in the dose range 10–180 krad. The optical absorption coefficient (α) for the as-deposited and irradiated films has been determined from the reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) measurements in the wavelength range 400–900 nm. Analysis of the spectral behavior of the absorption coefficient in the absorption region revealed direct transitions. The optical studies showed the decrease in band gap (E_opt) with an increase in γ-irradiation . The width of the tails of localized states (E_e) were calculated and found to be increasing after γ-irradiation. Dielectric related optical constants, such as (n, k_ex., ε₁ and ε₂), were presented. Finally, the effect of γ-irradiation on the high-frequency dielectric constant (ε_L) and carrier concentration (N/m^*) is also studied. The results were discussed by the change on the degree of disorder as well as the radiation-induced effect on solids.     

Effects of PVA,agar contents,and irradiation doses on properties of PVA/ws-chitosan/glycerol hydrogels made by γ-irradiation followed by freeze-thawing

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/water soluble chitosan (ws-chitosan)/glycerol hydrogels were prepared by γ-irradiation and γ-irradiation followed by freeze-thawing, respectively. The effects of irradiation dose and the contents of PVA and agar on the swelling, rheological, and thermal properties of these hydrogels were investigated. The swelling capacity decreases while the mechanical strength increases with increasing PVA or agar content. Increasing the irradiation dose leads to an increase in chemical crosslinking density but a decrease in physical crosslinking density. Hydrogels made by irradiation followed by freeze-thawing own smaller swelling capacity but larger mechanical strength than those made by pure irradiation. The storage modulus of the former hydrogels decreases above 50 °C and above 70 °C it comes to the same value as that prepared by irradiation. The ordered association of PVA is influenced by both chemical and physical crosslinkings and by the presence of ws-chitosan and glycerol. These hydrogels are high sensitive to pH and ionic strength, indicating that they may be useful in stimuli-responsive drug release system.     

Structural and optical properties of TiO2 thin films prepared by spin coating

Transparent semiconducting thin films of titanium oxide (TiO₂) were deposited on glass substrates by the sol–gel method and spin-coating technique. The physical properties of the prepared films were studied as a function of the number of spun-cast layers. The microstructure and surface morphology of the TiO₂ films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), with respect to the film thickness. The XRD analysis reveals that the films are polycrystalline with an anatase crystal structure and a preferred grain orientation in the (101) direction. The morphological properties were investigated by AFM, which shows a porous morphology structure for the films. The optical properties of the films were characterized by UV–Visible spectrophotometry, which shows that the films are highly transparent in the visible region and their transparency is slightly influenced by the film thickness, with an average value above 80 %. The dependence of the refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), and absorption coefficient (α) of the films on the wavelength was investigated. A shift in the optical band gap energy of the films from 3.75 to 3.54 eV, as a function of the film thickness, has been observed.     

Detection of molecular weight changes in solid polymer samples without dissolution: A novel approach

Changes in the molecular weight of poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) films as a result of crosslinking during photolysis in vacuo at 30°C have been followed by sorption of styrene dichloride, labelled with chlorine-36, from a solvent/non-solvent medium and radiochemical measurement of the absorbed solvent. The count rate falls sharply with extent of irradiation, showing a clear indication of the development of crosslinks in the film. Corresponding behaviour with several concentrations of benzoin as additive has also been examined: the sorption method gives a valuable insight into the effect of benzoin on the crosslinking process.Sorption has also been applied to films of a series of heterodisperse linear PMA samples, with interesting results. A clear molecular weight dependence of the amount of styrene dichloride absorbed in a fixed time has been observed.     

Preparation of the crosslinked polyethersulfone films by high-temperature electron-beam irradiation

The radiation-crosslinked polyethersulfone (RX-PES) films were prepared by means of electron-beam irradiation under nitrogen atmosphere at 230 °C, where the temperature is around the glass transition temperature of PES (222 °C). The gel formation of RX-PES films was observed when the absorbed doses exceeded 300 kGy, which indicated the crosslinking structure formation. The G(S) of 0.10 and G(X) of 0.23 were calculated according to the Y-crosslinking mechanism. The irradiation was also performed at ambient temperature for comparison. There was no gel formation of the irradiated films even for the absorbed doses as high as 2250 kGy. The thermal properties of the original and irradiated PES films were measured by means of DSC and TGA analyses. The chemical structure of the original and the irradiated films was analyzed by means of FT-IR ATR and UV-vis spectroscopies.     

Synthesis and swelling behavior of thermosensitive hydrogels based on N-substituted acrylamides and sodium acrylate

A series of hydrogels based on N-isopropylacrylamide, sodium acrylate, and N-tert-butylacrylamide were synthesized by free radical polymerization in a mixture of dioxane and water with tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate as the crosslinker and benzoyl peroxide as the initiator. The swelling behavior including the swelling rate of the crosslinked gels in water was studied with gravimetric method. The swelling ratio of the gel (0.1 mol% crosslinking) can reach 420 g/g at 20 °C and such a gel can release 96% of the water absorbed at 40 °C. The lower critical swelling temperature (LCST) of the copolymers can be adjusted by changing the chemical composition of the polymers. Such crosslinked gels can be potentially used as thermosensitive superabsorbent because of their high water uptake and thermal sensitivity.     

Temperature-sensitive porous membrane production through radiation co-grafting of NIPAAm on/in PVDF porous membrane

N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) monomer was grafted on and in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) micro-pore membrane by γ-irradiation. The influence of irradiation and reaction conditions on the grafting yield was investigated in detail. The chemical structure of NIPAAm-grafted PVDF (NIPAAm-g-PVDF) membrane was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra measurements. The morphology of the sample surface as well as the cross-section before and after grafting was characterized by scanning electron microscope. The temperature sensitive properties of the membrane were monitored by measuring the conductance as well as the water flux through the sample thickness. The results show that the membrane exhibits clearly temperature-sensitive permeability to water as expected, i.e. the permeability of water changes dramatically as the temperature goes over the lower critical solution temperature of NIPAAm.     

Radiation grafting of methyl methacrylate on radiation crosslinked natural rubber film

Summary Grafting ofmethyl methacrylate (MMA) on radiation crosslinked natural rubber (NR) film has been investigated by mutual radiation grafting. The effect of experimental parameters like radiation dose, dose-rate, additives like acids and inorganic salts, solvents, monomer concentration, cross-linking density of the natural rubber film on the grafting extent has been studied.From the kinetic studies, a kinetic equation showing almost parabolic and linear dependence of grafting on concentration and dose rate, respectively, was deduced.Preliminary thermal stability studies of grafted films indicated that grafting of MMA does not enhance the thermal stability of NR.