Effect of dose on radiation-induced conductivity in polymers

Numerical simulation of radiation-induced conductivity in polymers upon long-term irradiation on the basis of the generalized Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg model, which allows for both dipolar carrier transport and generation of radiation traps during irradiation, was performed. The unusual properties of radiation-induced conductivity, such as the appearance of a maximum on current transients, the absence of a steady state, and a substantial difference between these curves for the first and subsequent irradiation, are rationalized in terms of the formation of free radicals, the major feature of radiolysis in the chemical aspect. This interpretation does not require the involvement of degradation or crosslinking processes, unlike other interpretations that appear in the literature. With the use of low-density polyethylene as an example, it was shown that radiation-induced conductivity both upon pulse and continuous irradiation can satisfactorily be described with the unified set of parameters of the generalized Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg model.