Radiation-Induced Grafting of Ethyl Vinyl Ether onto Polyvinyl Chloride)

The radiation-induced graft polymerization of ethyl vinyl ether (EVE) onto polyvinyl chloride) (PVC) was studied under a variety of conditions. Graft copolymer and homopoly(EVE) were formed in all cases. The presence of water reduced overall polymerization rates, percentage grafting, and homopoly(EVE) molecular weights. With “superdry” EVE, grafting reached 29% at a total dose of 6.9 Mrad. Grafting to PVC films was less efficient than grafting to PVC powder. Application of a relatively poor swelling agent for PVC resulted in an increase in the efficiency of grafting. From a comparison of studies of radiation-induced EVE homopolymerization and the present work, it was concluded that dry and superdry EVE are grafted to PVC by a cationic mechanism and wet EVE is grafted mainly by a free-radical mechanism.