Effects of oxygen in gamma irradiated aromatic polyesters in film

The effect of gamma irradiation in air is investigated on four thermoplastic polyesters (PET, PBT, PEN, PCT-co-ET) in films containing aromatic rings, in order to evaluate the influence of aromatic density and the role of oxygen on radiation resistance. Physical-chemical-nuclear analyses were used to this purpose. EPR measurements were carried out to detect radical stability against oxygen permeation. Viscometric investigations reported a very similar trend for all the investigated polyesters: a chain break effect that decreases at the highest doses. FT-IR analyses focused on the formation of oxidized species. Positron annihilation spectra pointed out a decrease of the intensity of ortho-positronium formation, while its lifetime remains unchanged with radiation dose.